And Then There Were None
by alinaandalion
Summary: The game has changed, and suddenly, the rules are different. Now, they are all caught up in a struggle for power, and Elphaba has managed to get stuck in the middle.
1. Something Bad

_"Something bad happening in Oz."_**- "Something Bad" from Wicked**

It was quiet, a stifling stillness pervading the atmosphere. Elphaba sighed and put her book to one side; she couldn't read while her mind was focused on other disturbing matters. Nessa stirred slightly and met her sister's eyes for a moment before turning back to the window to watch the passing countryside as the train rushed down the tracks. Closing her eyes, Elphaba rested her head against the cushioned back of her seat. Their winter break had seemed interminably long, and she was eager to return to Shiz. Galinda would probably be waiting on her in the room they shared. Fiyero would more than likely arrive on the day classes started again. Even though he had made excellent progress in his studies since he had befriended Elphaba and allowed her to influence his nonexistent study habits, he still did not understand her aversion to skipping out of classes. She wondered if they would have heard about the new Animal Banns that had been put in place a few days after Lurlinemas. There had been more Banns than were normal in the past year, and she feared that soon the rumored disappearances of Animals would turn into a routine. As she allowed her mind to wander, she drifted into a restless sleep, awakened suddenly a few hours later as the train stopped at its station.

"Elphaba, don't drag behind," Nessa snapped as Elphaba hurried to gather their things together.

"Sorry, Nessa," Elphaba huffed as she slung her bag over her shoulder and pushed her sister's wheelchair off the train.

Boq was waiting for them on the platform, and he wordlessly took control of Nessa's chair from Elphaba as the green girl scanned the bustling crowd for a glimpse of perfect blonde curls. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment, but she quickly regained her composure and returned her attention to Nessa and Boq. The two seemed to be at odds with each other already, so Elphaba decided to push her way through the throng of people with Boq following behind and pushing Nessa's wheelchair. There was a carriage waiting for them in the street. Elphaba settled herself in the carriage first, deciding that Nessa would appreciate Boq's help more than her own. Boq struggled with the wheelchair for several minutes before he managed to join the girls in the carriage.

"So, how was your break, Boq?" Nessa asked with a bright smile as the carriage began to move down the street.

Boq shrugged, "It was nice. And, you?"

"It was wonderful to be able to spend time with my father," Nessa replied, glancing in Elphaba's direction. "You should have come to visit me like we decided before we left school. Father wanted to meet you, and he was very disappointed."

"It must have slipped my mind," he mumbled as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I was busy with my family."

"But, you should have at least let me know not to expect a visit," Nessa reprimanded him. "Surely, though, your family could have spared you for one day."

"I didn't think about it. I'm sorry, Nessa," Boq said with a sigh.

Nessa smiled, "It's all right."

Nessa grabbed his hand after she spoke and beamed so happily at him when he started to say something that he just slumped into his seat. Rolling her eyes at the two of them, Elphaba turned her head to look out the window as Shiz came into view.

* * *

"I'm home," Elphaba called out jokingly as she entered the room she shared with Galinda, struggling to get her bag through the door.

Galinda bolted off her bed and launched herself at her green roommate, "Elphie! I was starting to think that you just weren't coming back."

"Yeah, our train was late," Elphaba sighed and dragged her luggage over to her bed. "I was also going to help Nessa unpack and get settled in her room, but she somehow managed to convince Boq to help her instead."

"Oh, so he did meet the two of you at the train station?" Galinda asked as she settled onto Elphaba's bed.

"Did you send him?" Elphaba replied with a slight laugh.

"No," Galinda said, affronted. "I ran into him while I was walking around, and he mentioned that he was going to meet you at the train station. I think he and Nessa are working out splendidly."

Elphaba snorted, "If you say so. Anyway, how was your break?"

"Boring," Galinda said brightly. "Oh, Madame Morrible stopped by earlier."

Elphaba looked up from the clothes she had started unpacking, "Why would she come to our room?"

Galinda shrugged, "She was looking for you. She said to tell you to visit her office when you can tomorrow. I think it's something urgent."

"What could be so urgent when we haven't even started classes?" Elphaba asked, abandoning her suitcase to sprawl out on her bed and forcing Galinda to move to her own bed.

"I don't know. Do you think it could have something to do with the Wizard?" Galinda offered as she played with one of her pillows.

Elphaba grimaced, and Galinda gave her a confused look.

"What is it, Elphie?" Galinda asked.

Sighing, Elphaba sat up, "There have been new Animal Banns issued. I don't understand it, Galinda. How can the Wizard be wonderful if he is stripping the Animals of all their rights? Maybe I would feel better if someone could give me a real answer as an explanation. I don't know. But, the idea of working for the Wizard makes me nervous."

"You don't have to take a job if he offers you one," Galinda replied quickly.

Elphaba shook her head, "How do you say no to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz?"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, and Elphaba groaned as she got up and opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked abruptly when she laid eyes on Fiyero.

Walking inside, Fiyero leaned over and kissed her cheek, "It's good to see you, too."

"Fiyero!" Galinda exclaimed, jumping off her bed and pulling him into a hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he grinned.

"Why are you back so soon?" Elphaba interrupted as she closed the door and leaned on it. "I thought you weren't returning for a couple more days."

He shrugged, "I had a reason to want to come back. Also, I have news for you."

"If it's about the new Animal Banns, then I already know," she replied with a slight edge in her voice.

"Actually, it does have something to do with that," he said as he sank onto Galinda's bed. "My parents are concerned with what the new Banns could mean for the Vinkus. More Animals are moving to the Vinkus with the hope of finding shelter, but my parents don't want to be forced into carrying out the Banns if they grow more…violent."

"What do you mean?" Galinda asked, perching on Fiyero's lap.

"Well, if more Banns are issued, then the Animals could be made out to be enemies of the state. Executions and imprisonments would follow," Elphaba explained in a monotone.

"Exactly. And, that's what my parents are afraid will happen," Fiyero continued. "So, what should they do?"

Elphaba bit her lip, "I honestly don't know. I would suggest that they encourage any Animals to continue moving through Oz and go on to Ev. However, the Vinkus is very large. If it ever gets that bad, then they can claim that their territory is so vast that they are unable to police everything that happens."

"I think that they're planning with that outcome in mind," he replied. "But, wouldn't the Wizard just take over and enforce his policies regardless?"

"If the Wizard has a force that is capable of doing something that monumental, I'd be very surprised," she said as she started to pace across the floor.

"Well, let's not worry about all of this now," Galinda stated, her brow furrowing in confusion. "We did just get back to school."

"What are you doing tonight?" Fiyero asked Galinda as he gently rubbed her back.

"I haven't made any plans yet," Galinda replied as she wandered over to Elphaba's suitcase to help Elphaba hang up her clothes in the empty closet.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "Well, do the two of you want to go out for dinner?"

"I think I'm going to stay here for tonight," Elphaba said as she rearranged the dresses Galinda had put in the closet. "But, the two of you should go out. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about since you haven't seen each other for a couple of weeks."

"All right, if that's what you want," he replied, standing up. "I'll be back in a little while to get you, Galinda."

Fiyero gave Elphaba a small wave goodbye before he rushed out the door; Elphaba watched him leave with a bemused smile on her face.

"I really wouldn't worry, Elphie," Galinda said as she pranced over to her chest of drawers. "Now, should I wear blue or yellow?"

"Blue," Elphaba said immediately without even glancing in the direction of the dresses Galinda was holding up.

"You didn't even look at them," Galinda complained, but she threw the blue dress onto her bed with a shrug of her shoulders.

Laughing, Elphaba shoved her bag under her bed and relaxed onto her bedding with a book clutched in her hand. Galinda was making a lot of noise in the bathroom, but Elphaba decided that it was best to pretend not to hear her in the hopes that Galinda would not get the bright idea to give Elphaba a makeover. About an hour later, Galinda emerged from the bathroom, her hair in perfect blonde curls and her flawless face glowing happily, and she pulled her dress on while she hummed quietly. She met with some difficulty, however, when her zipper got stuck halfway up her back, and she struggled with it for a few minutes before turning to Elphaba with a disgruntled sigh.

"Elphie, will you please help me?" Galinda asked. "It seems that my zipper is stuck."

Elphaba laughed softly and quickly moved to Galinda, pulling as hard as she dared on the zipper. Finally, with one sharp tug, Elphaba managed to close Galinda's dress.

"Thank you," Galinda chirped, beaming at Elphaba as the door swung open.

"Fiyero, really, you need to learn how to knock," Galinda scolded him mildly as he grinned down at her.

"I haven't ever walked in on either of you, yet, have I?" he replied, pulling her into his arms.

"That's not for a lack of trying," Elphaba muttered, earning a chuckle from Fiyero.

"Have a good night, Elphaba," he said as Galinda followed him into the hallway and he closed the door.

Elphaba shook her head and moved back to her bed, reaching for her book. She stopped, though, her mind still focused on the Banns that had just been issued. She knew that she was worrying too much about something beyond her control, but the fact still remained that it was now illegal to hire any Animals, and all published works by Animals were to be removed from libraries and burned. She worried that Dr. Dillamond would soon come under fire and lose his job, or, even worse, be arrested. Frowning, she grasped her book tightly and opened it to the last page she had read. There was nothing she could do but wait and see what would happen next.


	2. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

As she re-adjusted her bookbag's straps to keep it from cutting into her shoulder, Elphaba glanced around the university's campus. A few boys were throwing snowballs at each other, more than likely showing off for the groups of girls that passed by with giggles and whispers. Even she had to admit that Shiz was beautiful in the winter time with freshly fallen snow spread thickly over the ground, the stately ledges of the buildings adorned with thick icicles that reflected the sunlight when the sky was not overcast. Thankfully, the day was cloudy. Elphaba smiled at the heavy white clouds; she didn't particularly care for being blinded by the sparkling icicles when she really was only interested in getting to her classes on time. She hoisted her bag back on her shoulder and kept walking. She had put off her visit to Madame Morrible for as long as possible.

"Hey, Elphaba, wait up!"

She heard someone calling her name, but she decided against stopping because she had a feeling that if she turned around, she would end up with a mouthful of snow.

"Elphaba, slow down! Elphie!"

"What?" Elphaba finally bellowed back, whirling around to face her pursuer. She grinned at the sight of Fiyero running up the path, "I thought I told you not to call me that ridiculous nickname."

"It got your attention, though," he replied as he caught up with her. "So, where are you off to?"

"I have a meeting with Morrible," she said, gesturing in the direction of the building behind her. "And, what are you doing out without Galinda? I thought the two of you would be inseparable after such a long time apart."

He shrugged, "A lot of people seem to think that. Actually, she dumped me to go shopping with Shen-Shen and Pfannee. She said that if I ran into you to let you know that she probably wouldn't be back for supper, either."

"Well, there goes my evening," Elphaba joked, and he laughed as he draped his arm across her shoulders.

"Do you mind if I accompany you to your meeting?" he asked, giving her a charming grin. "And, then perhaps we could eat together and sit up to wait on Galinda? Because, I must admit, doing homework with you is more fun than having to do it by myself in my room."

"That sounds nice," she agreed as they entered the warm interior of the building. "I'll be back in a little while. Are you sure you don't want to do something else while you wait on me?"

He shook his head, "It's too cold to go back outside now that I'm here."

"All right," she sighed, dumping her bag at his feet and heading towards the staircase.

"Good luck!" he called as he situated himself in a nearby chair.

She smiled at him and hurried up the stairs as she tried to think of all the possible reasons that she needed to meet with Morrible. All too soon, she found herself facing the headmistress's door, and squaring her shoulders, she knocked and entered the room, trying not to grimace at the sight of Morrible seated behind her desk.

"Ah, Miss Elphaba," Morrible said as she gestured to a chair. "Please, sit down."

Elphaba perched on the edge of the chair, "Galinda told me that you had been looking for me. I'm sorry that I didn't come earlier, but my train came in late, and I had classes today…"

"Really, Miss Elphaba, there is no need for excuses," Morrible interrupted with a small shake of her head. "Now, I have good news for you. I received a letter from the Wizard himself only a few days ago requesting a meeting with you as soon as it is convenient."

"Oh, that's…that's wonderful," Elphaba stammered, trying not to look too unhappy.

"Yes, indeed it is," Morrible affirmed. "When would be a good time for you to travel to the Emerald City, then, my dear? I don't want you to feel pressured, but the Wizard is very excited about meeting you, and this could secure a bright and very promising future for you."

Licking her lips, Elphaba searched for an answer before saying slowly, "I would be happy to go in about three weeks. You see, classes did just start back, and I don't want to get behind."

"All your professors will be informed about the reason for your absence, and you will not be penalized," Morrible said with a wide smile. "So, if that is what is worrying you, do you think you could perhaps try for an earlier time?"

"I don't think that would be possible. I'm sorry, Madame," Elphaba replied quietly.

"Not at all, my dear," Morrible told her. "I just didn't want you to feel torn between your duties here and your desire to see the Wizard. I'll make the arrangements for you, and you'll take a train three weeks from today to go to the Emerald City."

Elphaba nodded her head and started to get up, but she paused for a moment.

"Madame, would you mind very much if I took Galinda with me?" Elphaba asked, praying that she would get a positive answer. "I just don't feel comfortable traveling alone, and I think the Wizard could use Galinda as well."

"Of course she may," Morrible said graciously, though Elphaba saw that the older woman had gritted her teeth as she spoke, and that Morrible was trying very hard not to let a look of disgust mar her sickening smile.

"Thank you, Madame," Elphaba replied happily, beaming at Morrible as she left the headmistress's office and hurried down the stairs.

"So, how did it go?" Fiyero asked from where he stood at the foot of the stairs.

She smiled, "Well, I'm going to see the Wizard. The good news is that Galinda will be going with me."

"Aren't you excited about being personally invited to see the Wizard?" Fiyero replied incredulously.

"I'm not really sure," she said with a quick glance around the building. "Come on, let's get out of here. I'd prefer not to talk about it in case she's listening."

Handing her bag to her, Fiyero followed her out of the building and into the deepening dusk as snow gently accosted them as it floated down from the sky.

"It's snowing," Elphaba grumbled, holding her bag closer to her body as they walked.

"Do you not like snow?" he asked cautiously, careful to avoid being in the near vicinity of her heavy bag in case she swung it in his direction in irritation.

"I like it just fine on the ground," she replied, grimacing as a couple of snowflakes flew into her mouth. "But, it just gets everywhere and gets you wet and is so damn annoying!"

Fiyero laughed, "How about this? You head back to your room, and I'll get us some supper. Then, you can get out of the snow faster."

"Fine," she grumbled, but she did give him a small smile. "Thanks. So, I never did ask you. How was your holiday?"

"Well, if you count the fact that I could sleep as late I wanted, I didn't have to waste my time studying, and I could party as long as I wanted to, then it was great," he said with a grin in her direction. At her derisive snort, he continued, "However, for some odd reason, I couldn't shake the bad habit you gave me of reading every now and then. My parents were pleasantly surprised. Also, it just wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be."

"Why not?" she asked, her voice a little softer than before.

He ran his fingers through his hair, "I guess because I missed you and Galinda more than I thought I would. Funny, huh?'

She elbowed his side gently and said, "You could cheer up a little bit about missing me and your girlfriend. Were you really that surprised that you missed Galinda?"

"I guess it was kind of a shock to realize that I was looking forward to getting back to Shiz when I've always looked for any way possible to flunk out of whatever school I'm attending at the moment because I've always felt it was a waste of time. And, so, I guess you can say I was surprised that I missed you two enough to want to come back," he explained.

She blinked and said quietly, "Well, I'm glad you did come back."

"Why did we stop walking?" he asked as he almost ran straight into her.

"This is where I live," she reminded him. "I'll wait for you downstairs until you get back with some food."

"Yes, dear," he teased, earning a light slap on his arm as she started up the steps.

He waited until she was inside before heading in the direction of the dining hall. He had a feeling that with all the cold weather, the cooks would have some hot food for the students, even if it wasn't the delicious fare he was used to after spending a few weeks at home. The snow was falling a little faster, so he hurried his steps to the point where he was almost running; he didn't particularly care for the fact that the snow was creeping past his collar and down his neck. Maybe Elphaba did have a point about snow. The dining hall appeared in his line of vision, and he finally made a break for it and ran the rest of the way, slowing to a walk as soon as he cleared the threshold of the building. There was no point in ruining his reputation as the coolest guy on campus until it was absolutely necessary, and no amount of snow would push him to that point of desperation. There were only a few students wandering around the expansive room littered with tables and chairs organized in an illogical fashion, so he decided to just grab the food he needed rather than attempt to socialize with what looked like the people at the bottom of the social pyramid. Shaking the snow off his shoulders, he wandered over to the food line and grabbed a container to pile the food in. He selected the most recognizable dishes and scooped liberal amounts into the container before grabbing a couple of apples and heading back out into the snow. It was completely dark and much colder, so he turned his collar up and walked as quickly as he could back to Elphaba's dormitory, breathing a sigh of relief as he approached the steps.

"You took long enough," she greeted him as he shed his coat and passed the apples off to her.

"Your gratitude is overwhelming," he grumbled in response, following after her as she started up the nearest staircase.

She laughed and smirked back at him as he worked to keep up with her long strides. Shaking her black hair over her shoulder, she fished her key out a pocket in her bag and unlocked her door, holding it open as Fiyero ducked inside.

"I don't think anyone saw you," she remarked as she tossed her bag to the floor at the foot of her bed and placed the apples on her dresser.

"Good. I don't want to get you into trouble for having male visitors after dark," he said, opening the container of food and brandishing the silverware he had almost forgotten to swipe from the dining hall.

"No plates?" she teased, spearing a piece of broccoli on her fork and settling on the floor as she chewed it up slowly.

He plopped down beside her and stuffed a chunk of meat into his mouth. "You shouldn't be so picky," he mumbled around his food.

"No talking with food in your mouth," she reprimanded him as she put a finger against his lips.

He grinned and as soon as he had swallowed his food, he grabbed her finger gently between his teeth, allowing his tongue to flick the tip playfully.

"That is disgusting," she said sternly. "Now, let go of my finger."

He released her slender finger and shrugged, "You asked for it."

She grabbed a carrot and popped into her mouth, "I'm glad you remembered to get enough vegetables. Remember the last time we did this?"

"You made me go back into that thunderstorm because you weren't satisfied with what I provided," he said, giving her a dignified look. "I still haven't recovered."

"It was just a little storm. I don't know what you're so afraid of," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"I don't know either. It just scares me," he replied quietly as he stared down at the food in front of him.

She ruffled his hair, "Cheer up. It's not that big of a deal. I haven't told anyone. Yet."

"You wouldn't dare," he said quickly, shoving her shoulder.

Laughing, she shoved him back and said, "Of course not."

"Okay, so spill about this whole thing with the Wizard," he instructed her, leaning back on his elbows and shoving a forkful of food into his mouth.

"I should be excited, right?" she said in a soft voice as she looked at the ground. "But, I'm not. To be honest, I'm terrified. What does he want with me, Fiyero? What if he wants me to help him persecute the Animals? What will I do then? I think something bigger is going on here, but I can't figure it out. I just don't know what to do."

"First of all, you have to stop making up all these possible situations where things can go wrong," he replied, taking her hand in his. "Now, what you are going to do is take Galinda with you. She'll stand by you in whatever decision you make. The Wizard can't make you do something you don't want to."

She shook her head, "You're underestimating him."

"What happened to the girl who was so excited about possibly getting a chance to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz?" he asked, pushing the food to one side. "There were Animal Banns before we left Shiz for the holidays."

"I guess I realized who was responsible for everything," she told him. "I thought it was just a passing phase, a way to distract Oz from the problems in Gillikin and the dissatisfaction of the Munchkins. I thought it would end after Gillikin finally agreed to the Wizard's terms on how much power they're allowed to hold. But, it's just getting worse."

"I would never have thought of that," he said as he looked at her thoughtfully. "How do you come up with stuff like that?"

"I grew up in the Governor of Munchkinland's house," she replied. "I would have thought that you would know more about politics since you actually are going to be ruling the Vinkus one day. Why are you so clueless?"

"I don't like to think of myself as clueless. Just blissfully unaware of my surroundings," he said cheerfully. "I've always found politics to be dull. I never knew that interesting stuff like this happened."

She shook her head, "So, do you think everything will be all right?"

"I would almost guarantee it," he said, patting her hand. "The Wizard can't be all that bad. And, what use would he have for you if you didn't want to work for him? It would just be too much work."

"If you say so," she replied as the door swung open.

Galinda looked at Fiyero and Elphaba, smiling broadly, "What's going on?"

"Well, since you so cruelly abandoned us and left us to our own devices, we decided to rough it on our own and try to make the best of it," Elphaba explained as she stood up and straightened her skirt. "How was your shopping trip?"

"Oh, it was a nice way to pass the time, but after it started snowing, Pfanee and Shen-Shen would not stop complaining. I finally convinced them to end their misery and just come back to Shiz," Galinda replied breezily. "How did your meeting with Morrible go?"

"Well, it's official," Elphaba said grimly. "The Wizard has extended an invitation to me to meet with him in the Emerald City."

Galinda sighed, "Honestly, Elphie, you could look happier about that. Do you really think it's going to be that bad?"

"Since you're coming with me, I would have to say, no," Elphaba told her with a grin.

Galinda's mouth dropped open, and she struggled for a moment to speak before she finally blurted out, "You're taking me with you? To the Emerald City? To meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz?"

"Breathe, Galinda," Fiyero said casually as he watched his girlfriend gape at Elphaba.

"Yes, to all of your questions," Elphaba said calmly as she sat down on her bed.

"This is so exciting!" Galinda squealed as she bounced around the room. "We have to go shopping, and we'll get to see all the sights while we're there, and then we get to meet the Wizard! How can I thank you, Elphie?"

"I think the extreme dissatisfaction that I gave Morrible by asking for you to come with me will do very nicely," Elphaba said with a smirk. "Honestly, you would think the woman would try to like you since you're in her sorcery seminar as well."

"I don't think she approves of me at all," Galinda said, sitting down on her bed.

"Well, that's not important now," Fiyero replied as he joined Galinda. "How soon do you two leave?"

"In three weeks," Elphaba said quickly. "Are you sure you'll be ready by then, Glin?"

Galinda pouted, "I don't like that nickname."

"Well, I don't like mine," Elphaba snapped, but she was smiling.

"I suppose I can be," Galinda acquiesced.

"I think I need to get back to my own room," Fiyero said with a groan as he pushed himself to his feet.

"So soon?' Galinda asked as she followed him to the door.

"I never did get to my homework," he told her as he chucked her chin gently. "Thanks for hanging out with me, Elphaba. Goodnight, Galinda."

"Goodnight," Galinda replied softly, kissing him gently and watching as he snuck back down the hallway.

"Well…" Elphaba sighed as Galinda closed the door and wandered back over to her bed.

"What?" Galinda asked quietly as she studied Elphaba's face.

"What do you think? About all of this?" Elphaba replied, staring at the floor.

Galinda bit her lip before saying, "I think that you're right, something is going on. I don't know what, but I do think that going to the Emerald City will help us figure something out. And, no matter what, I don't think it's going to be as bad as you seem to think it will be."

Elphaba smiled, "Both you and Fiyero are determined to remain optimistic, then?"

"That's only because you manage to be so pessimistic that you don't need any help," Galinda replied, grinning back at Elphaba.

Elphaba shrugged her shoulders, "Anyway, do you think we should get started on our homework?"

"We just started classes today," Galinda complained, but she grabbed a stack of books from her dresser as Elphaba pulled her bag onto her bed.

"Study," Elphaba commanded as she opened her book and relaxed against her pillows.

Galinda grimaced, but she followed Elphaba's example and hoped that the time would pass quickly. Sparing a glance in Galinda's direction, Elphaba grinned at the blonde's attempts to concentrate before returning her attention back to her own book as she thought about the impending trip to the Emerald City. Maybe Galinda was right. Maybe she would just have to hope for the best until she was given a reason to worry.


	3. Change in Plans

"Nessa, this is ridiculous!" Elphaba shouted as she banged on her sister's door. "Open this door right now!"

"No," Nessa said obstinately. "You obviously prefer Galinda to me, so why don't you just spend all your time with her?"

Elphaba sighed, "I do not prefer Galinda to you, Nessa. I'm sorry that I can't take you to the Emerald City with me, but Galinda could possibly have a future working for the Wizard."

"I still don't see why you didn't tell me about your invitation first," Nessa replied, crossing her arms across her chest as she glared at her closed door. "But, no, Galinda and Fiyero had to be the first ones to know, and I found out from Boq!"

"I didn't expect for the news to travel so fast," Elphaba said as she paced in the hallway. "I came to tell you first thing this morning. I'm sorry, Nessa. Now, please, will you let me in?"

"You should have told me last night after you found out," Nessa insisted. "It's not like I have a very active social life, so you knew I wasn't out last night."

"I had a lot of reading to do, Nessa, and well, you do live with Madame Morrible," Elphaba said uneasily.

Nessa cocked her head to one side as she listened to Elphaba's muffled voice, "And what does that have to do with anything?"

"I try to avoid her at all costs," Elphaba said as quietly as she could. "She makes me uneasy, especially with how involved she is with the Wizard, and I would prefer to keep away from her whenever possible."

"Why haven't you told me this already?" Nessa asked, her voice sharpening.

"Let me into your room, and I'll explain everything," Elphaba said, her hand already grasping the doorknob.

Sighing dramatically, Nessa unlocked her door and opened it for Elphaba, moving clumsily out of the way as her green sister slipped into the room.

"Talk," Nessa commanded, wheeling herself over to the window.

"I'm worried about the Animal Banns," Elphaba said, fidgeting nervously with her dress. "I don't understand what the Wizard is planning, and I'm scared that he might expect for me to help him with persecuting the Animals. Morrible is involved in all of this, somehow, and I don't want her to catch onto the fact that I'm not as keen on the idea of working for the Wizard as she seems to think I am."

"Oh," Nessa said softly as she looked down at her lap. "I didn't know. But, why can't I go with you?"

Elphaba groaned, "Nessa, I would take you in a heartbeat, but Father would insist on going, and I would have to look after you as well as worrying about my meeting with the Wizard. It would be too much for one trip."

"I can take care of myself," Nessa said stubbornly. "And, Father doesn't have to go. We're both capable of handling ourselves properly in the city."

"I couldn't take you to my meeting," Elphaba replied. "And, that's the only reason Galinda is going instead of you. I need someone there with me, and she's the only one I can take with a legitimate reason to be at that meeting."

Nessa bit her lip as she considered pushing the issue further, but when she met Elphaba's pleading gaze, she bowed her head for a moment before saying, "All right, then, I understand. But, you promise to take me with you the next time you go?"

Elphaba smiled softly and said, "Of course. Do you want to go to lunch or something?"

"Boq is taking me," Nessa replied.

Nodding her head, Elphaba took Nessa's veiled command, "Well, then, I'll see you either tonight or tomorrow. You know you're always welcome in my room."

Reaching out, Nessa took Elphaba's hand and smiled warmly, "Thank you. Now, I must make myself presentable for when Boq arrives."

"You won't repeat any of this to anyone?" Elphaba asked as she turned for the door.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Nessa reassured her half-heartedly, already studying her reflection in her mirror and re-adjusting the pins in her hair.

Elphaba started to reply, but bit her lip and walked out as Nessa continued to study her reflection, her lips pursing into a pout as she twirled a gentle curl around her finger.

* * *

Elphaba fumbled with her keys for a moment before she managed to work the right one into the doorknob only to find that the room was already unlocked. Pushing the door open, she dumped her bag onto the floor and smiled at Galinda who was sitting on her bed, reading a letter.

"You got our mail?" Elphaba asked, flipping through the envelopes and quickly seeing that she had no letters.

Galinda didn't look up from the piece of paper in her hands, and Elphaba quickly noticed that the blonde girl's hands were trembling.

"Galinda?" Elphaba asked gently as she sat down beside her. "What's wrong?"

Galinda looked up at Elphaba, her eyes red and mascara smudged, "Oh, Elphie, it's a letter from my mother. My father is sick."

Elphaba bit her lip and said hesitantly, "How sick?"

Shaking her head, Galinda replied, "I don't know. My mother said that he's sick and she wants me to come immediately."

"Well, I'll help you pack," Elphaba said as she got up and started to move to Galinda's closet.

"But, Elphie, what about the trip to the Emerald City?" Galinda asked. "We were supposed to leave in just four days. I won't be back in time."

"I know," Elphaba said simply, pulling open Galinda's closet doors and surveying the interior. "How long do you think you'll be at home?"

"Probably only a week," Galinda replied, running a hand through her blonde curls and standing up. "But, what are you going to do since I can't go with you? You can't go by yourself."

Elphaba shrugged, "I'll just take Nessa and Father with me. I'll be fine."

"Elphie…," Galinda started to protest, but Elphaba quickly shook her head.

"No, you need to be at home, and I can't get out of this trip. I'll take you with me the next time I go. If I even go back," Elphaba interrupted.

"Fine," Galinda snapped, throwing her letter onto her bedside table. "So, does your father even know that you've been invited by the Wizard to visit the Emerald City?"

"I wrote to him last week," Elphaba said. "I'll send a letter this afternoon, and he should be more than willing to go since Nessa will be going with me."

"And how do you know that?" Galinda asked, examining a blue dress thoughtfully. "Do you think this is too bright of a color for me?"

"No," Elphaba said as she spared the dress a small glance before shoving another article of clothing into Galinda's hands. "And, Nessa pitched a fit when she found out that I was taking you instead of her. She'll jump at the chance to go with me to the Emerald City, and Father will not let us go alone."

"Then why was he going to let you go with just me as your companion?" Galinda replied, throwing the blue dress and a yellow one Elphaba hadn't seen before onto her bed.

"I would attribute that to his lack of concern about my well-being," Elphaba said caustically. "Or, maybe because I wouldn't be left alone in a hotel room while you were meeting with the Wizard like I would have to leave Nessa if he wasn't there."

"They can't go to your meeting?" Galinda asked, her eyes widening in shock.

Elphaba tossed her braid over her shoulder irritably, "Of course not. I barely managed to get you invited, but that was only because you're skilled with magic."

Galinda rolled her eyes, "I don't know what you might have seen, but if Morrible's comments and my own botched spells haven't been enough evidence, I can say that I am not very gifted in sorcery."

"You can do a lot of things," Elphaba insisted. "You're just…"

"Not on the same level as you," Galinda finished. Elphaba gave her an exasperated look and Galinda just shrugged her shoulders, "Well, I can't help it that your body just does magic for you whenever you get emotional. You were born with the ability to control magic. I'm learning how. I'm well aware of the fact that I can't compete with you. Yet, anyway."

Shaking her head, Elphaba said, "Well, what time do you leave tomorrow? Do you need me to get you a train ticket when I go to mail my letter?"

Galinda brandished a ticket and replied, "No. My train leaves at ten in the morning. I guess I'll just say my goodbyes before classes."

"I'm coming to see you off," Elphaba said, holding up a dress for Galinda's approval.

"Not that one," Galinda waved her hand and Elphaba replaced the dress in the closet. "But, you have a class at ten, Elphie."

"I can miss it," Elphaba replied flippantly. "I mean, it's not like I constantly skip classes, and I'm not going to let you go to that train station by yourself."

"All right," Galinda sighed, watching as Elphaba scribbled a few lines onto a piece of paper and folded it into an envelope.

"I'm going to mail this now to make sure it'll get to Father in time," Elphaba said as she gave Galinda a slight smile. "I'll be back in a little bit."

"Don't forget your coat," Galinda said automatically as Elphaba started to walk out the door.

Grabbing her heavy coat, Elphaba hurried out the door, leaving Galinda to finish packing on her own. Rummaging through the pile of clothes that had accumulated on her bed, Galinda pulled out the dress she had bought for the Emerald City and put it to one side. As she started to put her clothes back into her closet, she heard a knock on the door, and she whirled around as it opened.

"Oh, Fiyero, it's just you," she said with a small sigh of relief. "What are you doing here?"

"I was actually on my way to make plans for tonight when I ran into Elphaba in the hallway," Fiyero replied carefully. "She told me about the letter, Galinda. I'm really sorry."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Galinda replied in a fake cheery voice. "My mother overreacts at times, but it's always safer just to make sure that there isn't anything to worry about."

"I can go with you, if you want," he offered quickly as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Galinda shook her head, "No, you don't need to miss classes if you can help it. Besides, someone needs to be here to watch over Elphie. She's going to go crazy before she ever makes it to that meeting."

"Really?" Fiyero asked, moving to help Galinda hang her clothes in her closet.

"She's not sleeping very well and she is constantly pacing this room," Galinda explained. "I've tried to tell her that worrying won't accomplish anything, but it just makes her moody and irritable. So, I would feel better if I knew that you were here with her until she leaves."

"All right. But, if you're not going with her, then who is?" he replied, sinking into a chair as she perched on the edge of her bed.

"Nessa and her father will be traveling with her," Galinda said, smoothing the skirt of her dress carefully. "She's sending a letter to her father right now."

"Well, as long as she's gone," he said quietly, moving to sit beside her on the bed.

"What do you have in mind?" she murmured, a small smile playing with the corners of her lips.

He kissed the corner of her mouth, "We haven't had much time alone in a while."

Running her fingers through his hair, she replied, "Oh, well, let's solve that problem."

He grinned and kissed her gently, "I have missed you. You've been so busy with Elphaba and classes."

"I could say the same for you," she told him mischievously, pulling him back in for another kiss.

"Hey, Elphaba's my tutor. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't even be at Shiz," he reminded her, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

Galinda just laughed and kissed him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as the door opened. Galinda and Fiyero instantly pulled apart as Elphaba looked at the two of them with an amused expression on her face.

"By all means, please continue," Elphaba told them. "I can just leave and let the two of you have some alone time."

"No, you can stay," Galinda said with a disappointed sigh.

"Really, Glin," Elphaba emphasized the nickname. "It's not a problem for me at all. You know my second home is the library."

Rolling her eyes, Galinda snapped, "Elphaba Thropp, if you call me that one more time, I will hide all your books."

"I think I'm going to go," Fiyero said quickly, afraid that he was about to be caught in an argument. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Galinda."

He kissed her quickly and hurried out of the room; Elphaba sighed and dropped onto her bed as the door swung closed.

"Well, I didn't mean to chase him off," Elphaba said with an apologetic smile. "I was trying to get you to kick me out of the room since you refused to take me up on my generous offer."

"Oh," Galinda replied as she smoothed her slightly frazzled hair. "I didn't want to inconvenience you."

"Galinda, he's your boyfriend. You should have time to be alone with him to do whatever you want to," Elphaba told her. "But, if the two of you have sex, you have to let me know so I don't interrupt that and then wash the sheets afterwards. Or, you can use his room."

Galinda laughed, "Do you always have to be so blunt, Elphie?"

Ignoring her, Elphaba whipped out a book and buried her nose into it. Galinda sighed dramatically, and when she didn't get Elphaba's attention that way, she simply jerked the book out of Elphaba's hands and tossed it across the room.

Elphaba brandished a pillow threateningly, "You had better give it back."

"And what will you do if I don't?" Galinda teased, grabbing one of her own pillows.

Elphaba just whacked her in the stomach with her pillow, and with a squeal, Galinda hit Elphaba back, smiling in satisfaction as the soft object thumped up against Elphaba's head. Elphaba responded with a sneak attack to sweep her feet out from under her, but Galinda quickly parried with a second pillow she had grabbed off her bed. Within moments, Galinda had managed to knock Elphaba's pillow out of her hand and was holding the green girl at her mercy.

"Cheater," Elphaba muttered, her eyes glinting with amusement.

Sticking her tongue out at Elphaba, Galinda raised the pillows a little higher, "Surrender, Miss Elphaba."

"Fine. You win," Elphaba muttered.

Galinda grinned in satisfaction and tossed her pillows to one side, "Now that that's settled, I'm feeling a little hungry. Do you want to go see if we can swipe some food from the dining hall?"

Elphaba shrugged, "Sure."

Elphaba quickly clambered off her bed and pulled on her coat, waiting patiently for a few moments while Galinda deliberated over which coat she wanted to wear until Elphaba started to sigh loudly.

"I'm coming," Galinda said as she pulled her coat off its hanger and put it on.

"After you, Miss Galinda," Elphaba said politely, holding the door open.

Giggling, Galinda swept out of the room, and Elphaba followed after her, locking the door, before hurrying off to brave the cold weather in order to gain a cup of hot chocolate.


	4. No Voice

"_What a mess, a perfect mess/ Left alone to sort it out/ In the sorrow, guilt, and rage/ I keep coming back to doubt."_- **"No Voice" from Bare**

Elphaba sighed as she straightened Galinda's coat, asking, "Do you have everything you need?"

"Of course," Galinda said, smiling slightly. "Now, are you sure you'll be all right?"

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me," Elphaba replied as Fiyero handed Galinda's trunk to a porter.

"Elphaba's right, Galinda," Fiyero said quietly as he joined the two girls on the platform. "She'll be fine. I'll take care of her until you get back."

Elphaba grimaced but said quickly, "You see? Write to us if you need anything."

Galinda's lips quivered as Fiyero stepped forward and pulled her into his arms; he kissed her gently and she buried her face into his neck for a moment before moving away from him and meeting Elphaba's eyes.

Galinda threw herself into Elphaba's arms and said, "Don't do anything stupid, Elphie."

"All right," Elphaba said softly as she hugged Galinda, the train's whistle shrieking in the background. "You need to get on board or the train will leave without you."

Nodding her head, Galinda released Elphaba and hurried onto the train, pushing through the throng of people to make it to a window as the train started to roll away from the station. She waved forlornly to Fiyero and Elphaba as the train picked up speed, and within moments, they were out of sight. Galinda collapsed into her seat and closed her eyes as she waited for the long journey to come to an end.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting, Boq," Nessa commanded as she looked over at him.

"Sorry," he mumbled, taking her hand quickly in an attempt to appease her temper. "Is something bothering you, Nessa?"

Biting her lip, Nessa studied Boq for a moment before saying, "It's Elphaba. She doesn't really want to meet the Wizard."

"But, I thought that was her dream," Boq said as his eyes widened with surprise. "What made her change her mind? Is she not going to the Emerald City anymore?"

"If you'll just let me talk, then you won't have any questions," Nessa snapped, sighing when his face fell in disappointment. "I'm sorry, Boq. I've just been worried about her and all of this."

"I'm listening," he said quietly.

Nessa smiled primly and smoothed out her skirt as she said, "Well, Elphaba is worried that the Wizard is interested in pursuing an agenda against the Animals, and of course she wants no part of that. But, she still doesn't want to refuse a meeting with the Wizard without making sure that her suspicions are correct."

"That sounds complicated," he said indifferently, his mind already moving to another topic of discussion. "Nessa, do you want me to take you to the train station when you leave or do you just want to go with Elphaba?"

"You're welcome to come along," Nessa said as she stroked his cheek fondly. "Father is meeting us there, so you can meet him."

"That might be a little much for one day since you are all traveling to the Emerald City together," Boq said quickly. "Maybe I can meet him after you come back. How about that, Nessa?"

Nessa sighed with disappointment, "If that's what you want, Boq, then that will be fine. But, you promise that you'll meet him after I come back?"

"I promise," Boq said with a reassuring smile. "Now, do you want to take a walk? We've been inside all day, and I think I'm going to go crazy if I don't get some fresh air."

"Just get our coats," Nessa told him as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Boq sighed, but he quickly followed her command and found her coat. He helped her put it on, fastening the buttons carefully, and when he was through, Nessa smiled up at him. His heart jolted a little at the innocence in her face and eyes, but then he remembered her sullen tempers and tantrums, and he simply shrugged his coat on and pushed her out the door.

* * *

As Fiyero walked beside Elphaba, he asked, "So, you leave tomorrow, right?"

Elphaba glanced over at him and smiled slightly, "Yes. Now, are you sure you'll be fine with all your homework? I don't think I can leave unless I know that you will make an effort to go to class on time."

He laughed and said, "I think I can manage that. So, you haven't had a letter from Galinda yet?"

"I don't think the mail travels that quickly," she said as she ducked underneath a tree branch. "I take it that you're worried about her?"

"I was just making sure that we at least hadn't had any bad news," he said defensively. "Do you think she's all right?"

"I think she's doing fine on her own," Elphaba replied calmly. "She doesn't need both of us constantly holding her hand. She's perfectly capable of handling herself without us."

"I like to think that she is devastated by my absence," he said with a rakish smile. At Elphaba's frown, however, he rearranged his face into an expression of repentance, "Just joking. So, do you have any plans for tonight?"

"You should know me better than that by now," she teased. "Why, did you want to do something?"

"I thought we should at least have a proper send-off for you and Nessa," he said hopefully.

"I am not going to a party," she stated firmly, her lips settling into a thin line. "However, I will tolerate your presence in my room for a few hours if you choose to visit."

"I guess that will have to do," he groaned dejectedly as he swung his arm loosely over her shoulders.

They passed by a group of students headed by Pfannee and ShenShen, and as Fiyero gave them all a friendly wave, Pfannee yelled out, "Hey, Greenie, is the Wizard not good enough for you now? Or are you scared that he'll take one look at you and order for you to be locked up to spare everyone else from seeing your ugliness?"

Elphaba stopped walking and ignored Fiyero's attempts to pull her away.

"What are you talking about?" Elphaba asked in a low voice, shaking with anger.

"Oh, you haven't heard?" ShenShen asked as she feigned surprise at Elphaba's confusion. "Everyone has been talking about how you really don't want to see the Wizard, but you're just pretending for whatever reason."

"Well, it's not true," Elphaba said flatly. "I don't have any time for foolish rumors, so you will have to excuse me if I have no interest in what you have to say."

"It isn't true?" a red-headed girl called viciously as Elphaba and Fiyero started to walk past them. "Nessarose was the one who told everyone."

Freezing on the spot, Elphaba gripped Fiyero's arm tightly as she spoke through numb lips, "What?"

"Nessa was the one who said all of that," Pfannee said victoriously, sensing that Elphaba was wounded by every word that spilled out of Pfannee's mouth. "Maybe we should report you to Madame Morrible for telling horrible lies about the Wizard."

Fiyero looked from Elphaba's rigid body to Pfannee's vicious expression, and he quickly tugged on Elphaba's arm, saying, "We're leaving. Now."

Elphaba stumbled after him as he nearly ran away, her mind whirling with the insults and nearly true rumors that floated after them as they disappeared into Fiyero's dorm. He didn't wait for her protests and quickly led her up the stairs, keeping a firm grip on her arm in case she came to her senses any time soon.

"I have to talk Nessa," Elphaba whispered when Fiyero guided her into his room. She sank onto his bed, repeating herself, "I have to talk to Nessa."

"Just, wait a little while, okay?" he said comfortingly, a little unsettled by how irrational she was at the moment.

Taking a deep breath, Elphaba looked up at him and said firmly, "I need to talk to Nessa, Fiyero. This could have ruined everything."

Fiyero ran his hand through his hair and said, "Fine. I'll walk with you in case we run into them again."

He held out his hand on an impulse, and Elphaba took it gratefully as she allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her back out of his room. They walked in silence, Elphaba's eyes flitting everywhere to make sure that they were not taken by surprise, and Fiyero simply focused on her, making sure that she really was all right and not pretending. It didn't take long for them to reach the right building, and she pulled him inside before taking off down the hall without a backward glance. Fiyero simply shrugged his shoulders and flung himself onto the nearest couch to wait for her.

Nessa looked up in surprise when Elphaba nearly tore her door off the hinges as she stormed into the room.

"What did you do?" Elphaba spat out, her eyes narrowing to slits as Nessa backed her chair away from her sister.

"What's wrong with you?" Nessa asked quietly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"How could you tell everyone something I told you in confidence?" Elphaba yelled as she pointed an accusing finger at Nessa. "If Morrible hears some of the things I've said, I could possibly be charged with treason or at least lose any opportunity I might have to work with the Wizard."

"I thought you didn't want to work for him," Nessa replied, stung by Elphaba's harsh words.

"I don't know if I do or don't," Elphaba replied as she started pacing. "But, why would you tell Pfannee and ShenShen, Nessa? Of all people, why them?"

"I didn't tell them," Nessa protested. "I would never do something like that, not when they hate me almost as much as they hate you. I don't understand why you're so angry with me! I only talked with Boq about what you told me."

Elphaba whirled to face Nessa, a blank expression on her face, "Boq? You told Boq?"

"Yes, and he was the only one," Nessa said, feeling slightly relieved that Elphaba had at least stopped yelling. "Maybe he accidentally said something to someone, but I swear that I didn't."

"I believe you," Elphaba said, suddenly feeling very tired. "I, um, I have to go. I'll see you in the morning?"

Elphaba started for the door, but Nessa burst out angrily, "Wait! So, you just invade my privacy and accuse me of spreading rumors about you around the school, and instead of apologizing and trying to make it up to me, you're just going to leave?"

"I don't have time for this, Nessa," Elphaba said as an edge crept into her voice.

"You never have time for me," Nessa mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away when Elphaba glanced at her.

"I'm sorry, Nessa, but I still have to pack and finish writing an essay," Elphaba replied with a small sigh. "I'll see you in the morning."

Elphaba waited a few moments in the hopes that Nessa might respond, but when Nessa resolutely refused to even spare a glance in Elphaba's direction, Elphaba simply strode across the room and slammed the door behind her. A few tears slipped down Nessa's cheeks, and she wiped them away before retreating into her bedroom.

* * *

As Elphaba waited with Fiyero and Nessa for Frex to meet them on their platform, Elphaba looked down at her little sister and sighed quietly at Nessa's puffy red eyes and sullen expression. Fiyero nudged her shoulder and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"There he is," Nessa said excitedly, her pretty face breaking into a smile as she pointed at Frex's approaching figure.

Elphaba waited nervously for the man to finally join them on the platform, her fingers gripping the back of Nessa's wheelchair tightly.

Without sparing Elphaba even a glance of acknowledgement, Frex bent down to his younger daughter and kissed her cheek as he said, "I've missed you, my little Rose. And, this must be the wonderful Boq you keep going on about in your letters."

Fiyero looked around in confusion until he realized that Frex was beaming at him with a hand extended, and Elphaba quickly intervened, "Father, this is Fiyero Tiggular. He's Galinda's boyfriend, not Nessa's."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, sir," Fiyero said, grasping Frex's hand in his firm grip and shaking it quickly before picking up Elphaba's trunk. "I think I'll go find a porter."

"Now, you don't have to do that," Frex said generously. "Elphaba can carry her own luggage."

Fiyero started to protest, but Elphaba simply took the trunk from him with a slight shake of her head. With a shrug, Fiyero gathered up Nessa's luggage instead and flagged down a porter to help him get the girls' things onto the train. As soon as Fiyero made sure that the porter was able to handle all of the luggage, he turned to Elphaba and managed a small smile.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come?" he asked, glancing in the direction of Frex and Nessa.

"I'm sure," she reassured him, grasping his hand lightly in hers.

Fiyero let out a sigh before pulling her into a hug and pressing a kiss to her cheek, "Take care of yourself."

She smirked and said, "I'll try."

"I think we need to go ahead and board the train," Frex said, interrupting them.

Elphaba looked up at Fiyero and smiled slightly, walking over to Nessa and wheeling her onto the train behind Frex. Fiyero watched from the platform as they disappeared from sight, waiting anxiously until he caught a glimpse of Elphaba's face in a nearby window. The train's whistle tore through the air, and a few minutes later, the train started to lumber away from the station. Fiyero waved to Elphaba as her window passed by him, and she gave him a small wave back. Then, the train picked up speed and was gone.

* * *

Elphaba paced the chamber she had been led to when she had arrived at the Emerald Palace, her steps agitated. She hated waiting, and even though an hour had already passed since she had first arrived, no one had come in to let her know anything. The door opened, and Elphaba whipped around, composing herself when she saw two members of the Gale Force standing in the doorway.

"The Wizard is ready for you, Miss Thropp," one said, beckoning her forward.

Elphaba moved hastily, following them down a narrow hallway to a large door that stretched to the arched ceiling. The door opened of its own accord and swung out, allowing her entrance to the room beyond; taking a deep breath, she walked inside as the door slammed behind her. She looked around the room, taking in the windows that took up most of the walls and the dark marble floor that made her every movement echo loudly in the cavernous room. Suddenly, a large head appeared at one end of the room, suspended in mid-air as smoke curled around it in lazy spirals.

"State your name and request," a deep voice boomed as she studied the apparition.

Stepping forward, she called out, "My name is Elphaba Thropp, and I would like to speak with the Wizard of Oz."

"I am the Wizard," the head replied as the smoke turned red.

"I wish to speak with the real Wizard, not the image he conjures in order to impress the people of Oz," she said calmly, her sharp eyes scanning the room.

She smirked with satisfaction as the head disappeared into the air and a curtain in a dark corner was pulled aside, revealing a man with graying hair.

"It seems that I underestimated you, Miss Elphaba," he said jovially as he strode over to her, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

She smiled and replied, "Thank you."

"Well, even though I hate to rush things along, we need to discuss your reason for being here," the Wizard said, frowning slightly as he looked at her. "As Madame Morrible may have mentioned, I am interested in having you help me here in the Emerald City. There is so much that needs to be done to improve Oz, and I believe that with your great powers, we might be able to do some good."

"That is what I was hoping for," Elphaba said as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "What exactly did you have in mind for me to do?"

He sighed and said, "Actually, it might be easier to do things this way. Madame Morrible, will you please join us?"

"Of course, my dear," Madame Morrible said as she appeared through a side door.

Elphaba gaped at Morrible and managed to stammer out, "I don't understand. What is going on?"

"I've been working with the Wizard for the past couple of years, my dear Miss Elphaba," Morrible replied pleasantly. "And, now that he is moving forward in his attempts to improve Oz, we both feel that it is time that I start to take a more public role in his administration. Also, this will enable me to help you as you work under our guidance."

"We only need you to perform a little spell to see how powerful you actually are," the Wizard continued explaining as Morrible gave Elphaba a sickening smile. "I have an extremely old spellbook called the Grimmerie in my possession, and even Madame Morrible is only able to read a few spells after years of study."

"Don't be upset or discouraged if you can't read any of it," Morrible told Elphaba reassuringly as she produced an old tome and handed it to Elphaba gingerly. "In time, you will learn to master many of the spells."

"Which one do you want me to read?" Elphaba asked, her voice quivering in anticipation and fear as she ran her green fingers over the small cracks forming in the cover of the book.

Morrible took the Grimmerie from her hands and opened it to a page somewhere near the middle before handing it back to Elphaba, "This one, dear."

"I have a Monkey named Chistery," the Wizard said as Elphaba looked down at the odd language. "He watches the birds every day because he longs to fly like them. This spell will make him able to fly and be able to have the freedom he craves."

Elphaba looked up from the spellbook to see a Monkey that had appeared out of the shadows, his red uniform slightly rumpled and ill-fitting. Chistery dutifully took the Wizard's hand in his paw, his eyes never leaving the ground. Elphaba frowned, but she knelt down on the floor. Placing the book in front of her, she started to read the words carefully, the syllables rolling off her tongue with an unfamiliar heaviness. Suddenly, a shriek interrupted her as she began to work through the spell a second time, and she looked around wildly for the source of the screams of anguish, crying out when she realized that Chistery was the one screaming. She started to move towards him as he twitched on the floor, but Morrible moved between them, her hard eyes watching Chistery carefully. Chistery's screams turned to whimpers only a few moments later, and Elphaba watched in shock as the Monkey slowly clambered to his feet, large wings now sprouting from his shoulders.

"No, I didn't mean to," Elphaba said, her voice cracking as she tried to keep from bursting into tears. "We have to change him back. Something went wrong."

Morrible and the Wizard ignored her as they exchanged triumphant smiles, and the Wizard hauled Elphaba to her feet.

"I can't believe you did it!" he crowed in exultation as Chistery slunk away, keeping his wings huddled close to his body.

Elphaba simply stared at the Wizard in shock.

"I told you that she would be the one we need," Morrible said. "Now that we have her, we can make more spies and then maybe we can start cracking down on the Animals."

"What?" Elphaba croaked out, a horrified look spreading across her face. "Spies? You want me to help you persecute innocent Animals?"

"Well, maybe we don't need anymore winged Monkeys," the Wizard amended.

"More?" Elphaba repeated faintly.

The Wizard nodded and said, "Yes, Madame Morrible was the one who came up with the idea. Would you like to see them?"

Elphaba could only stare blankly at the Wizard, so he just shrugged and pulled aside a curtain, revealing a wall made of iron bars. Monkeys sprouting wings identical to Chistery's howled at the sight of the three people. Elphaba's eyes widened as she surveyed them, the realization that these were innocent Animals who had already become victims of the Wizard's regime suddenly dawning on her; she felt bile rising in the back of her throat as the Wizard continued to prattle on about his plans for Oz. She looked desperately from Morrible to the Wizard and at the sight of their satisfied looks, their smiles, she suddenly snatched the Grimmerie off the floor and bolted for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Morrible bellowed when she saw that Elphaba had taken flight.

The Wizard immediately dropped the curtain back over the wall and hurried behind his own curtain, bellowing through his gigantic head, "Guards!"

The Gale Force rushed into the throne room, saluting the head dutifully as the Wizard yelled, "Bring the green girl back here immediately!"

"Yes, sir!" an officer said enthusiastically, charging out the side door that Elphaba had taken in her escape.

Elphaba raced through the hallways, taking turns blindly as she worked her way continuously up different staircases, searching for some escape that wouldn't already be blocked by the Gale Force. She could hear the commotion behind her as soldiers swept through the castle in an attempt to keep her from leaving, and the Wizard was still bellowing something through his ridiculous head. She let out a frantic cry when she reached a doorway at the top of the staircase she had taken a minute ago and saw that her only option was to escape through the door or to turn around and attempt to dodge half the Gale Force. She grasped the doorknob and pushed her way through the entrance; she glanced around the room in a quick assessment of all the possible routes she could take to freedom, but they all unfortunately depended on her ability to survive a fall of over fifty feet since her only option was to fling herself out of a window. Shouts rang below and footsteps suddenly started thundering up the stairs, so she slammed the door shut and blockaded it with a broom and a chair as she paced the floor, trying to think of a way out. She looked down at the Grimmerie that she was still clutching tightly to her chest and considered casting the same spell on herself, but she dismissed the idea after a moment. If she did grow wings, then she doubted that she would be able to fly off after experiencing the kind of pain she had witnessed Chistery enduring.

The sudden hopelessness of her situation overwhelmed her at that point in time, and she huddled down in a corner of the small room, gritting her teeth against her tears as she listened to the Gale Force beating on the door in an attempt to break in. Her heart beat a tattoo against her chest as she gulped in lungfuls of air, desperate to hang onto her life now that she was faced with an inevitable death. There was no way that they would allow her to live, not after she had heard so much about their plans. The door then ripped off its hinges, sending the chair and broom flying through the air as the soldiers rushed into the room. Elphaba looked up at them, and she didn't protest when a soldier grabbed her roughly by the arm and dragged her out of the room. He didn't release her when they reached the stairs, but as she no longer had any hope of escaping, she followed after him in resignation, wincing as his fingernails dug into her skin through the fabric of her dress. It seemed like it only took several seconds to reach the throne room whereas only a minute ago, it felt like hours had stretched out interminably in her bid for freedom

She gazed at the Wizard and Morrible numbly as the Gale Force filed out the door, closing it behind them.

Morrible was the first to speak, and she grabbed Elphaba's arm as she spat out, "Where did you think you were going to go? You little ungrateful brat…"

"Stop," the Wizard said sternly. "This is not the time. Now, Elphaba, you have committed an act of treason. You attempted to run away with a very valuable object, and it is now obvious that you sympathize with the Animals. The penalty for this is death by execution. However, Madame Morrible and I have devised a compromise for you."

"What do you mean?" Elphaba said quietly.

"You will serve the Wizard by carrying out the laws and seeing that all Animals not in accordance with the laws are punished," Morrible replied, her face still twisted with anger. "You will not question the Wizard or me in any orders we give you, and you will carry them out."

Elphaba licked her lips nervously and asked, "What will happen if I refuse this offer?"

"You are a very valuable person, and your assistance will make our plans much easier to carry out," the Wizard said carefully. "So, your death is not a feasible option for any of us at the moment. However, your sister, Nessarose, is here in the city with you, correct?"

Elphaba nodded her head slightly, so he continued, "It would be a shame for her to die in a tragic accident, would it not?"

Elphaba locked eyes with the Wizard, shaking slightly as his words cut through her numb despair at her own failure.

"She is not the only one who may meet an untimely end if you refuse to cooperate," Morrible said quickly. "The lives of Fiyero, Galinda, and Nessa are the payment we will exact if you attempt to run away again or try and help subversive Animal activity."

Closing her eyes, Elphaba whispered, "I'll do what you want. Please don't…don't hurt them."

"Good," the Wizard said cheerfully. "Now, I think we can send you back to your hotel and you can get back to Shiz as soon as possible."

"Actually, I think Miss Elphaba needs to fully understand what disobedience will mean," Morrible replied as she sneered at Elphaba. "A few days in the prison should drive the point home."

The Wizard started to make a protest, but the words died on his lips when he saw Morrible's warning glare. Sighing, the Wizard strode to his curtain and disappeared from view as the hideous head appeared once again.

"Guards!" the Wizard called. The door immediately opened and a few soldiers hurried inside. "Take the girl to the prison and lock her up."

The guards grabbed Elphaba and forced her out of the throne room as she stumbled over her own feet, her mind whirling. She didn't register the sunshine as they pushed her outside or the shouts of the prisoners as she was led down dim corridors that had puddles of water mixed with blood and urine. It was only when the guards left her in a dark cell that she crawled to a corner and allowed her tears to flow silently down her face.


	5. Come What May

_"And there's no mountain too high / No river too wide / Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side."_**- "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge**

"I just don't see what's so special about the little bitch," a guard said loudly as he wandered down the dark corridor of the prison.

"You could start with the fact that she's green," his companion pointed out, giving Elphaba a wave as they passed by her cell.

She shrank away from them, clinging to the wall as they paused and stared at her.

"She's scared to death of us," the guard said proudly.

"Give it a rest, Manok," the second guard said with a roll of his eyes. "The bitch just needs a good fuck, that's all."

"Oh, and who's going to be doing that, Scyhan?" Manok asked. "You heard Morrible. No one can touch the bitch. Anyway, I heard you with that girl you arrested last night. You're not missing out on any action."

Schyan shrugged, "Whatever. Anyway, grab the fucking green bitch. Morrible wants her."

As the guards pulled the door open, Elphaba moved out of their way. Manok grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the cell with Schyan following after them. She winced as the bright sunshine assaulted her sensitive eyes, and the guards pulled her inside as she walked between them blindly. They led her through the green corridors of the palace, leaving her in a small, unfamiliar room. She wrapped her arms around her chest and gazed around the room; the door opened behind her, and she whirled around, snarling slightly when she saw Morrible standing in the opening.

"I see that prison seemed to suit you very well," Morrible said smugly as she closed the door. "Now, the Wizard and I have decided that your little friends could prove useful. I will be meeting with you, Galinda, and Fiyero when I return to Shiz. Until then, you will travel with your family back to school, and you will wait for me there. Do you understand?"

Elphaba gritted her teeth as she said, "Yes."

"The guards are waiting outside for you. I will be keeping a very close eye on you, Elphaba, so do not think that you will be able to get out of our little deal," Morrible replied with satisfaction. "You may go now."

Straightening her shoulders, Elphaba stalked out of the room and ran straight into one of the guard's waiting arms.

"Well, look at we have here," Schyan said with a smirk, his hands wrapping around her behind roughly.

"Get your filthy hands off me," Elphaba growled as she pushed him away. "You're not allowed to touch me. Now, take me back to my hotel."

"You're not really in any position to be giving orders, bitch," Manok said angrily. "We don't work for you."

"You do now that I'm working for the Wizard," Elphaba replied quickly, hoping that they wouldn't call her bluff. "And, besides, if Morrible finds out that you've mistreated me, then she'll have your fucking heads."

"Come along, then, bitch," Manok grumbled, taking her arm roughly and dragging her after him.

* * *

Frex pulled his hotel door open, frowning at the sight of a very dirty Elphaba in between two members of the Gale Force.

"How may I help you?" he asked stiffly as Elphaba jerked her arm free of one of the guards.

"We are merely escorting your daughter here from the Emerald Palace," the other guard said with a bored look.

"Thank you," Frex said as he gently pulled Elphaba into the room and closed the door.

He turned to examine his elder daughter as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, fidgeting nervously with her filthy and ragged dress.

"What happened?" he asked finally, gesturing for her to sit on one of the nearby chairs.

"I tried to escape from the Wizard after I found out that he is persecuting the Animals and has no intention of stopping," Elphaba said quietly. "They caught me before I could escape, though, and offered me a deal. I took it, but Morrible insisted on putting me in prison for a few days so I could understand the consequences of disobeying them."

Frex's eyes hardened as he stepped forward and examined a tear in her dress, "So, you're going to work with the Wizard?"

"Yes," Elphaba sighed. "How long was I gone?"

"Four days," Frex answered. "I sent for you at the palace, but they kept insisting that you were being accommodated by the Wizard. If I had known…" He paused, and Elphaba glanced up at him. He took a deep breath and said, "Nessa has been worried about you, but you can see her after you bathe."

"Thank you," she said as she stood up. "When do we leave in the morning?"

"Eight," he replied shortly, rubbing his chin as he stared at the floor. "Good night, Fabala."

Elphaba paused in the doorway and looked back at her father, biting her lip, "Good night, Father."

Frex waved his hand dismissively, and Elphaba walked into the adjoining room, gathering a fresh nightgown and a towel together before heading in the direction of the bathroom. Nessa wheeled into the room quietly and smiled, her lips trembling.

"I started to run you a bath when I heard you come in," Nessa said in a soft voice.

Elphaba smiled wearily and pushed her tangled hair out of her face, "Thank you, Nessa. I promise, I'll tell you everything when I get out."

"All right," Nessa agreed as Elphaba disappeared into the bathroom.

As soon as she closed the door, Elphaba leaned against the hard wood, allowing her shoulders to slump in weariness as she tore at the buttons of her dress. Steaming hot water filled the bathtub, and the heat radiated towards her invitingly; she pulled her dress off and threw it across the room as tears started to stream down her face. Stumbling towards the tub, she ripped her undergarments off and slid into the water, wincing as the hot liquid enveloped her body. She scrubbed furiously at her skin with the bar of soap she found, trying to erase the memory of the three days she had spent in that cell, listening to every insult and degrading remark the guards could throw in her direction. She knew how close she had come to being one of their playthings; she was relieved that she had been protected, but she was simultaneously disgusted that she had to rely on Morrible to be safe from such despicable men. Within a few minutes, she had rubbed her skin raw, so she washed her hair and attempted to untangle it as much as she could before draining the water and drying off. She dressed quickly and left the bathroom.

"Hey," she said quietly when she saw Nessa was sitting by the window.

Nessa watched Elphaba walk rigidly around the room and said, "Father explained what happened while you were bathing. Elphaba, I can't believe something like that would happen. I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize for something you didn't have anything to do with, Nessa," Elphaba murmured with a shake of her head as she picked up a comb and started to run it through her hair. She hit a large knot in her hair and muttered, "Fuck."

"Come here," Nessa said, holding out her hand.

Elphaba moved to Nessa's side and silently held out the comb to her sister as she knelt at Nessa's feet. Nessa slowly started to brush through the tangle, humming a soft lullaby.

"Why are you doing all this?" Elphaba asked as she leaned against Nessa's knees.

"Because you need me," Nessa said simply, a soft smile on her face.

* * *

Elphaba let out a long sigh as she walked into her room. She had left Frex and Nessa back at the train station since Boq had somehow heard about their arrival and had managed to get down there in time, enabling Elphaba to make a quick getaway. She threw her suitcase onto her bed and glanced at Galinda's side of the room. It looked like a hurricane had swept through, so she assumed that Galinda had probably forgotten to set her alarm the night before and therefore was almost late to class. The door suddenly swung open as Elphaba bent over to pick up an unidentifiable ruffly piece of clothing.

"Elphie!" Galinda shouted as she bounced into the room and pulled Elphaba into a hug.

"Hey," Fiyero waved casually from the doorway, his bag still slung over his shoulder.

"We've been worried about you," Galinda said as she took a step back. "What happened?"

Elphaba sighed and said, "You two might want to sit down because it's a little bit of a long story."

Fiyero complied immediately by laying down on Galinda's bed, and after she pushed him after the way, she settled down beside him. Elphaba smiled slightly in amusement and sat down on her bed. Taking a steadying breath, she launched into a brief re-telling of all the events that had taken place since she had left Shiz, keeping her eyes focused on the floor so that she didn't have to see their expressions. When she finished, she looked up and shrugged.

"Well, I guess that's about it," she said as she pushed her hair behind her ears.

"Bastards," Fiyero muttered, his face dark with anger. "Those fucking bastards."

Galinda wiped away the tears that were gathering in her eyes and said softly, "Oh, Elphie, I'm so sorry. I should have been there."

"You couldn't have really done anything, Galinda," Elphaba replied. "Anyway, you needed to be with your family. How is your father?"

"He's doing much better," Galinda said as she waved her hand impatiently. "But, that's not important right now. What does all of this mean for you?"

"Well, it means something for both of you, as well," Elphaba mumbled. When they gave her confused looks, she continued, "Not only will I be working for the Wizard, but I think Morrible wants the both of you to work for them as well. I think it's a way for them to keep an eye on you in order to make sure that I don't try to help you disappear to keep them from having as much control over me."

"What would they want us to do?" Fiyero asked, wrapping his arms around Galinda's waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I don't know," Elphaba snapped in frustration. She paused, chewing on her lip, and said, "I guess it would make sense for Galinda to be the public face of the Wizard's administration. And, Fiyero, well, they may try to make you become involved with the Gale Force."

"And, what would I do?" Fiyero pushed.

"Fiyero, from what I saw of the Gale Force, you would be working with some of the most despicable men Morrible and the Wizard could find. They routinely rape the women in the prison as a form of torture. They beat and torture people for entertainment," Elphaba said fiercely. "No matter what, please, do not let Morrible pressure you into taking a job with the Gale Force."

Fiyero nodded his head, "Okay. So, what should I do if that's what she wants?"

"We'll try to push her in a different direction," Elphaba replied. "And, we'll have to see where we go from there."

"Elphie, before Morrible gets back, we actually have something to tell you," Galinda interrupted their conversation.

"Oh, that's right, we do," Fiyero agreed with a smile.

"What?" Elphaba asked sharply, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, the day after you left, Galinda got back, and Dr. Dillamond was dragged off of campus that afternoon," Fiyero explained. "It seems that there was a law passed that says no Animal can work for a business or establishment that also employs humans. Dr. Dillamond was fired that morning, but he refused to leave, so he was arrested. Then, the next day, we had a new professor, Dr. Nikkidik. For whatever reason, he brought a Lion cub to class in something he called a cage. He poked and tortured it all class and explained that the cage would keep the Lion from ever speaking."

"Did no one do anything?" Elphaba blurted out, horrified.

"Let me finish the story," Fiyero said patiently, waiting a moment before continuing. "So, that night, Galinda and I snuck into Dr. Nikkidik's office and kidnapped the Lion cub. We set it free, which caused an outrage the next day when Dr. Nikkidik discovered that his precious experiment was ruined. And, I think that's all that happened."

"Why in the world would the two of you do something so outrageously stupid?" Elphaba asked, giving them an exasperated look.

"Because we thought there was no sense in waiting for you to get back, only to have you get mad at us for not doing anything and then setting the little Lion free just like we did," Galinda answered immediately.

"The thing is that the Wizard is becoming bolder in his policies," Fiyero added, his brow creasing with anxiety. "So, what will this mean in the future?"

Elphaba shook her head and allowed her shoulders to slump as she said, "I don't know, and I don't think any of us can do anything to stop them."

"We'll figure something out, Elphie," Galinda murmured, holding Elphaba's hand gently. "We can't let them win."

"She's right," Fiyero said quickly with a slight grin. "No matter what, we'll stick together. As long as we're a team, they can't beat us."

Elphaba sighed, "I don't think there is going to be anything we can do. How can we fight against unlimited power?"

"Elphie, you once told me that the people who stand by and allow evil to be done are just as guilty as those who commit the crime," Galinda said firmly. "How can we allow something like this to happen without doing anything?"

"We're facing the impossible," Fiyero interjected as he placed his hand over the girls' joined fingers. "But, I know you, Elphaba Thropp. I've seen you do things that should be impossible. Why should this be any different?"

"All right, then," Elphaba said as she gave them a shaky smile. "I guess you two are right. So, do you really want to commit yourself to this?"

Galinda smiled brightly even as her lips trembled and whispered, "Yes."

"Yes," Fiyero said in a faint voice.

Elphaba glanced down at their linked hands and back up at the faces of her two best friends, and all the tears that she had choked back slowly started to course down her face. Galinda's eyes widened as Elphaba sobbed, and the blonde girl quickly pulled Elphaba into her arms, whispering comforting words into her ear as Fiyero rubbed Elphaba's hand gently. Elphaba clung desperately to Galinda and closed her eyes; she knew that this would not end happily for any of them, and she had never hated herself more because she knew that her friends would be the ones who would pay for her weakness.


	6. Feed the Lions

_"Time to feed the lions!"_**- "Feed the Lions" from See What I Wanna See**

Pushing her door open, Elphaba sorted through the pile of mail she had picked up from her and Galinda's respective mail boxes, pausing at the sight of a thick green envelope.

Galinda glanced up from her notebook when Elphaba entered the room and asked, "Do we have any important mail?"

"I think Morrible has returned from the Emerald City," Elphaba grumbled, tossing Galinda's green envelope in her roommate's direction as she opened her own. "Fuck it all."

"Elphie, watch your language," Galinda said primly as she perused her letter.

Stretching lazily on her bed, Elphaba said, "I have a feeling that once you see what's going on, you'll lose your prim and proper manners, Miss Galinda. I take it that you've received your invitation to Morrible's little tea party?"

"Yes," Galinda said as she wrinkled her nose in distaste. "She could have been a little more direct. We're not stupid; she has to know that you would have told us everything."

"It's all just a one big show," Elphaba replied bitterly. "Will Fiyero be calling on you later today?"

"I think so," Galinda said, tossing her letter onto her table. "If he got one of these, then he'll probably be by very soon. Why?"

"I was trying to decide if I wanted to study in the library tonight," Elphaba said as she sat up and nudged her bag off her bed with her foot.

"Actually, I think we'll eat supper in here tonight," Galinda told her. "Won't that be fun?"

"I guess," Elphaba murmured, pushing her long hair out of her face.

The door slammed open, and a very irate Fiyero strode into the room, saying angrily, "What the hell is this?"

Elphaba raised an eyebrow as he threw his own green envelope angrily onto her bed and said mildly, "Did you even open it?"

"Fiyero, really, must you use such language?" Galinda sighed, exasperated. "First Elphaba, and now you. Honestly."

"Of course I read it," he snapped. "What the fuck is she playing at, sending a letter to our parents?"

"What?" Galinda shrieked, diving for her letter to read it again. Her eyes widened as she scanned the last paragraph, and she sent Elphaba a horrified look, "What is she trying to do?"

"Damn it," Elphaba whispered. Shaking her head, she said in a soft voice, "I have a feeling that they feel both of you might need extra incentive to work for them as well. This kind of opportunity is something your parents won't allow for you to give up. Not only that, but I think this might be Morrible's way of making sure we understand that we can't outthink her or keep her out of any area of our lives. I wouldn't be surprised if she has already planted spies and possible assassins in all of our homes."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Fiyero asked, running a hand through his hair.

Elphaba shrugged her shoulders and said, "We can't do anything except to stick to our original plan."

"I don't like this," Galinda said as Fiyero joined her on her bed.

"We don't have a choice anymore," Elphaba replied with a frown. "Which is exactly where Morrible wants us."

"You know, you're turning into a little ray of sunshine, Elphie," Galinda muttered. Turning to Fiyero, she said, "Dearest, do you mind going and getting us something to eat for supper? We really don't want to go to the dining hall tonight."

Fiyero shrugged, "Sure. Do you have any requests?"

"Lots of vegetables," Elphaba answered immediately. "And make sure there's more than just potatoes."

"Potatoes are vegetables," he said, widening his eyes innocently.

"They're carbohydrates," Elphaba corrected him. "So, make sure you bring back a variety."

"Will do," he sighed, glancing at Galinda. "And, I'll make sure to get dessert."

"Thanks, sweetheart!" Galinda called after him with a big smile on her face as he left the room.

Elphaba rolled her eyes and grabbed the top book off the stack she kept on her bedside table, opening it to the last page she had been reading the night before.

"Elphie, can't we talk?" Galinda complained when she saw Elphaba disappear behind the pages of her book.

"If you want," Elphaba replied absentmindedly. "What's on your mind?"

"What was it like when you were in prison?" Galinda asked quietly.

Elphaba paused, biting her lip as she slowly put her book to one side, "It was very boring. Why?"

"I was just wondering because of what you said the other day, how Morrible will punish me and Fiyero if you do anything wrong," Galinda replied, her voice trembling. "I just want to be prepared in case something does happen, and she decides to punish me."

"Galinda, I will do everything in my power to make sure that nothing happens to you," Elphaba said fervently, moving quickly from her bed to sit beside Galinda. "What I heard in there and saw…I was protected from the guards by Morrible's orders. But, I don't think she would give you the same luxury if she was trying to punish me. Our only hope if it came to that would be to convince her to lock Fiyero up instead."

"How can you say something like that, Elphie?" Galinda asked, horrified. "What gives you any right to decide something like that?"

"He stands a better chance than you of making it through that place unharmed," Elphaba snapped. She softened after her initial surge of anger and continued, "Galinda, those guards raped the female prisoners as part of their daily routine. They tended to leave the men alone unless they were feeling particularly violent, but since they aren't allowed to kill anyone, they can't harm them too badly. I have to think practically because we can't let our emotions get involved in situations like that. I'm sorry."

Galinda shivered and hunched her shoulders as she whispered, "I couldn't ever be brave like you. I don't know if I could have lived through that, even if I didn't have to worry about being hurt."

Elphaba shook her head, "I think I botched the whole 'brave' thing when I waited around for the Gale Force to take me as a prisoner so the Wizard could use me and you as well."

"But, you're helping to protect us when you could just sell us out in order to keep your life safe," Galinda protested.

"That's not courage," Elphaba said softly. "I'm always thinking of ways to run away, and I would if it meant that I wouldn't be leaving you and Fiyero behind."

"You love us," Galinda said suddenly, understanding creeping into her eyes.

Elphaba ducked her head and muttered, "Don't go proclaiming that all over the place."

Galinda threw her arms around Elphaba and squealed, "You really are a softie!"

"Get off," Elphaba said irritably, pulling out of Galinda's grasp. "There is no need to act like anything is different."

"I'm back," Fiyero announced as he strode into the room, carrying a stack of containers in his arms.

"Ooh, food," Galinda said, immediately distracted as she bounced off the bed and hurried over to him.

"Here you go," he told her kindly, kissing the tip of her nose as he handed her the top container. "Elphaba, I think this one is yours."

Elphaba grabbed the food out of his hands and settled onto the floor beside Galinda while Fiyero put a couple more containers on the floor and collapsed on the other side of Galinda. He passed forks around to the girls and dug into his food with relish.

"I ran into Boq and Nessa on my way back," he commented casually.

Elphaba paused with her fork halfway to her mouth and asked, "And?"

Fiyero shrugged, "They didn't really say anything. I couldn't tell if they were speaking to each other or not, so I thought it would be best if I greeted them politely and kept moving."

"Why wouldn't they be getting along?" Galinda said, picking through her food for a small bite of a potato.

"As if you don't know," Fiyero replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Stop acting like Elphie and tell me," Galinda whined as she slapped his shoulder lightly.

"Ow. Follow your own advice," Fiyero shot back. Galinda pouted, and he sighed, "Fine. Boq has a huge crush on you, and that makes his relationship with Nessa difficult."

"Well, I would have never guessed," Galinda said, putting her food to one side. "How long have the two of you known about this?"

Elphaba shrugged, "Since you set them up together."

Fiyero nodded his head in agreement and shoveled another bite of food into his mouth.

"Why doesn't he just break up with her?" Galinda asked.

"I don't think he has the heart to hurt her, which is actually a good sign," Elphaba replied. "I think he genuinely cares about her, even if he does fancy himself in love with you. So, I wouldn't suggest interfering either."

"Oh, all right," Galinda pursed her lips and perused the contents of her food before selecting a piece of chicken.

"I don't think I'm very hungry," Elphaba said quietly as she pushed her food to one side.

Fiyero looked up and swallowed his mouthful before asking, "Why not?"

"I'm worried," she said simply. "I keep trying to figure out exactly what Morrible wants, and not knowing makes me worry that we're always going to be stuck one step behind her and the Wizard. I don't like this kind of control that they have over us, over me."

Galinda edged a little closer to Elphaba and said, "We'll figure something out after we know more about what's going on. They're going to have to involve us in their plans at some point, and that's when we can start actually doing something. It's not like we can stop them before we ever get to the Emerald City."

"She's right," Fiyero agreed.

Shaking her head, Elphaba gave Galinda a small smile, "I will never understand how you can be so smart and yet have such a strong aversion to acquiring any sort of knowledge."

"I like to be the one thing you can't figure out, Elphie," Galinda said flippantly. "Now, try to eat some of this chocolate cake."

Galinda held a forkful of cake up to Elphaba's mouth, and Elphaba parted her lips with a roll of her eyes. Galinda smiled as she fed the cake to Elphaba and took a bite of it herself. Elphaba simply laughed at Galinda's smug expression and fought off Fiyero's questing fork as she went in for another taste.

* * *

Galinda straightened her skirt compulsively as Elphaba bit her lip. Fiyero shook his head at the both of them, and took each girl's hand in one of his own, giving them both a comforting smile. The door to Madame Morrible's office opened, and they all immediately straightened their backs and moved closer together as the headmistress emerged from the room.

"You may come in now," Morrible said with a smug smile, waiting patiently as they filed past her and into the office that had been rearranged with couches and chairs. Morrible gestured to the cushioned furniture and said, "Please, be seated."

Galinda and Fiyero sat side by side on a couch, grasping each other's hand tightly while Elphaba chose the chair beside the couch, her posture unusually stiff. Glancing over them, Morrible rested in a throne-like chair and leaned towards the table that held the tea service she had set out only a few minutes earlier.

"How would you like your tea?" Morrible asked in a tone that made it very clear that they were all to accept a cup.

"Three sugars and a dash of milk," Galinda answered, keeping her eyes trained on the floor.

"Five sugars," Fiyero said quickly, nudging Elphaba's leg with his foot to make her respond.

"Just a little bit of milk," Elphaba said through clenched teeth.

Morrible poured the tea into the cups and prepared the steaming liquid, handing them each a saucer when she was done. Taking her own cup of tea, Morrible settled back into her chair and beamed at them over the rim of her cup.

"I have brought you all here because I have a wonderful opportunity to offer to each of you," Morrible began. "As I am sure you know, Miss Elphaba has accepted a position with the Wizard, and it is my pleasure to give you the same offer."

"What would our jobs entail if we were to accept?" Galinda asked, looking up as she spoke.

Morrible noticed Elphaba's quick glance in Galinda's direction and said, "You, my dear, would take on the demanding but very rewarding job as the Wizard's Press Secretary. As for Master Fiyero, we thought he might enjoy working with the Gale Force."

"No," Elphaba and Fiyero said in unison.

Frowning, Morrible said, "No?" She studied them for a few moments, her mouth twitching when she realized what was happening, "I understand now. I take it that Elphaba has explained everything that took place in the Emerald City and the terms of the agreement we reached. So, you must also know that you do not have very much choice in this matter."

"They understand," Elphaba said sharply. "As far as I know, Galinda is willing to accept the position you have offered her."

"I do not want to work with the Gale Force," Fiyero interjected. "I think it would be a better use of my time to serve as an ambassador for the Vinkus in order to gain more political experience for when I take my place as king."

Elphaba looked at him in surprise as Morrible said through clenched lips, "I'm sure that we can arrange for that, Master Fiyero."

"If there is nothing more to discuss, then I believe we must be on our way," Elphaba said quickly, placing her untouched cup of tea on the table as she stood.

"Not so fast, Elphaba," Morrible snapped. She looked at Galinda and said, "We also felt that it would be necessary to change your name in order to create a more professional public image."

"Change my name?" Galinda whispered, a horrified expression on her face.

"Yes, to Glinda," Morrible said indifferently. "Your current name seems like it belongs to a young girl, not a woman for all of Oz to look to for guidance. Now, unless any of you have any questions, you may leave."

Elphaba grabbed Galinda's arm and stood quickly as she said, "Thank you for your time, Madame Morrible."

Jerking her head toward the exit, Elphaba propelled Galinda out of the room with Fiyero close on her heels. Galinda wrenched her arm out of Elphaba's grasp as soon as they reached the staircase and whirled to face her two companions.

"She's changing my name!" Galinda said in a shrill voice as she shook with anger.

"Not at the moment, she's not," Elphaba replied soothingly. "I think that will be a change that will come after we all move to the Emerald City, which could take a year or hopefully even longer."

"You know what?" Galinda said angrily as she glared at Elphaba. "I am so tired of hearing about what you think. For all your guesses and solutions to problems, you haven't managed to solve anything. I think you're just full of bullshit. So, excuse me if I'm not happy with the fact that that woman is taking over every little part of my life because of you!"

Turning on her heel, Galinda flounced down the stairs and stomped out of the building as Elphaba looked after her, a blank look on her face. Fiyero looked uncertainly at the door and then back at Elphaba, debating whether he should follow after his girlfriend or make sure Elphaba was going to be all right.

"Elphaba?" he asked softly, reaching out to touch her arm.

She flinched away from him and shook her head, "You should go after her. I'll be fine."

"But," he protested, but she cut him off.

"She needs you right now. Like I said, I'll be fine. I've heard worse."

"Not from your best friend," Fiyero replied as he stroked her cheek fondly. When she glared at him, he backed away and said, "I'm going, I'm going. Are you going to be in the library later?"

"Maybe," she said, crossing her arms over her chest as he grinned and waved at her before heading out the door in search of Galinda.

Fiyero ran a hand through his hair as he wandered in the direction he thought Galinda would have most likely taken. He knew she hated public displays of emotion whenever she really was upset, so he figured she probably would have run back to her room. So, he took the shortcuts Elphaba had shown him and ended up outside of the girls' dormitory only a few minutes later, estimating that Galinda couldn't be that far ahead of him. He snuck inside with a well-timed grin at a girl who was exiting the building and ran up the nearest staircase. Once he reached the right door, he took a deep breath and walked inside, smiling in triumph at the sight of Galinda's huddled form on her bed.

"Go away," she mumbled, throwing the pillow she was clutching to her chest in the general direction of the door without looking up.

"Hey, Galinda, it's me," he said quickly, deflecting the pillow.

Her head shot up and she said tearfully, "Oh, Fiyero, I thought it was…I'm sorry. Do you need something?"

He shook his head and settled onto her bed beside her, "No. I just know that you must be upset, and I thought I would make sure that you were all right."

"I think I am," Galinda said with a sigh. "I didn't really mean it. I was just so upset about how she was obviously patronizing me, and I wanted to make someone feel as bad and helpless as I do."

"I think you succeeded," he replied with a slight laugh.

"Was she really hurt?" Galinda asked, fresh tears forming in her eyes.

He wiped the moisture on her cheeks away with his thumbs and said gently, "She was, but I think she understood why you were so angry. She sent me after you."

"I should probably go and apologize," Galinda said as she stood up. "Where do you think she is?"

"I would try the library first, if I was you," Fiyero said, kissing her hand. "I'll wait on you to get back."

Stooping down to brush her lips against his cheek, Galinda murmured, "Thank you."

Fiyero just smiled and curled up on top of Galinda's bedding as the blonde pranced out of the room.

* * *

Elphaba pulled another book mindlessly from the shelf, her eyes flickering over the title on the binding before putting it to one side. She wasn't sure what she was searching for, but she had become very interested in the history of Oz in order to determine whether the claims that the Ozma was still alive were as ludicrous as she had once deemed them. She wasn't willing to leave any stone unturned in her search to find some way of deposing the Wizard.

"What are you looking for?"

The sound of Galinda's voice made Elphaba pause for a moment before shaking her hair out of her face and reaching up to the top shelf to pull another book down.

"I'm researching the history of the Ozma," Elphaba replied flatly, examining the book and placing it in the pile she had started to take back to her room. "Do you need anything?"

Galinda took a tremulous step forward and said softly, "Elphie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I was just frustrated by everything, and I lashed out at you."

Raising an eyebrow, Elphaba turned around to face Galinda as she said, "I accept your apology. Now, do you want to help with this? Surely you have some interesting rumors that go back a little further than last week's fashion faux pas."

Galinda giggled and said, "I think I remember my parents telling me some things about the Ozma. Do you want to go back to our room, and we can compare notes?"

"I think that's an excellent idea, Miss Galinda," Elphaba announced with a slight smile. Grabbing a stack of books, Elphaba walked off, telling Galinda over her shoulder, "I need you to grab that other stack, if you don't mind."

"We're going to read all of these?" Galinda asked, her face paling at the sight of the volumes Elphaba had selected.

"Thank you for volunteering," Elphaba called back brightly.

Groaning, Galinda grabbed the books as she wrinkled her nose in distaste and hurried after Elphaba.

"But, what about all of our schoolwork?" Galinda persisted, determined to find some way out of having to read the dusty pages of a book that she was sure was at least a hundred years old.

"Think of it as an exercise for your mind," Elphaba replied. "Don't worry, Galinda, I really just want you to dig some dirt up for me. I'll handle most of the reading on my own."

"Thank goodness," Galinda sighed with relief. "I thought you were serious for a moment."

"However, do you mind if I convince Fiyero to read some of these by telling him it will help in History?" Elphaba asked with a devious smile.

Galinda gave her a wicked grin in response, "Be my guest. As long as I don't have to do it, I don't care."

"You're going to be an excellent politician," Elphaba pronounced as they entered their building and started up the stairs. "Morrible won't know what hit her."

Laughing, Galinda shook her curls and said, "I do so want to wipe that smug grin off her face."

As they walked into their room, Fiyero sat up and gave them a confused look at the sight of the books in their arms and the smiles on their faces.

"That was quick," he said as Elphaba dumped the books on her bed.

Galinda plopped down beside him and kissed his cheek, "Of course it was. How long is it supposed to take for someone to apologize?"

"I just expected for you two to talk or do other girl things," he said with a shrug. "What's with all the books?"

"They're to help you with History," Elphaba replied, tossing one in his direction. "Well, not all of them. Some of them are for personal research. Why don't you start with that one and explain the facts on the Ozma that you manage to glean from it."

Fiyero gave Galinda a helpless look, but she just smiled, "She's your tutor, dear."

Smiling, Elphaba settled onto her bed and said, "It shouldn't be that difficult, Fiyero. But, you might want to get started."

Groaning, Fiyero stood up and kissed Galinda as he muttered, "Stupid school. I knew I never should have started trying."

"I'll see you tonight, dearest!" Galinda called after him, waiting until the door swung shut to burst into a fit of giggles. "You really shouldn't torture him."

"Oh, I'll just make him read the one book," Elphaba said with a sly grin. "It won't hurt him to use his brain just a little bit."

Galinda smiled and ran her hand over her bedspread as she asked, "So, you really do think we'll all be okay?"

"Are you sure you really want to know?" Elphaba replied. When Galinda nodded her head fervently, Elphaba started to speak what she knew was the truth, but at the sight of the trust and slight fear in Galinda's eyes, she said softly, "Yes, we will."


	7. Carousel

_"Slow down/ I wanna go round and round and round / Slow down / You can't stop the aging of change / I know the clock won't stop ticking / I know the seconds won't stop ticking away / But I wanna slow down."_**- "Carousel" by Jennifer Moody**

Elphaba twisted her pen lazily in her fingers while Galinda examined her manicure and tapped her fingernails against her desk. Rolling her eyes, Elphaba sent a glare in Galinda's direction that she promptly ignored, continuing to beat out an erratic rhythm on the polished wood.

"Do you mind?" Elphaba snapped, slapping her hands against her own desk.

Galinda sighed and said, "I don't have anything else to do since Morrible obviously isn't coming. You're the one who won't let me leave even though she's thirty minutes late."

"She's just trying to make our lives difficult and make us mess up," Elphaba retorted. "She'll be here, and we had better be waiting on her."

Galinda just shook her head and twisted a curl around her finger, and Elphaba pulled out a book. A few minutes later, the classroom door opened, and Morrible swept inside.

"Let's begin, class," she announced dramatically. At both Elphaba and Galinda's bored looks, she said, "I was held up in the Emerald City and only just arrived back at Shiz. Now, we have a lot to cover. Miss Galinda, get your wand out. I have new spellbooks for both of you."

Elphaba took the book Morrible offered to her and asked, "What do we need new books for?"

"You have progressed to the point that you need to start working with more difficult spells," Morrible said calmly. Dropping a book in front of Galinda, she snapped, "Miss Galinda, pay attention."

"I was," Galinda protested. Morrible raised an eyebrow, and she sighed, "Madame."

"Good," Morrible said with a smile. "Miss Galinda, kindly open your book and read about how to magically create a fire while I work with Miss Elphaba."

"Madame, shouldn't it be the other way around?" Elphaba piped up, raising her gaze from where she had already been flipping through her new book. "Galinda is the one who needs more formal instruction. I'm sure I can handle working through some of this on my own."

"I am the teacher here, Miss Elphaba, and I would remind you not to forget that," Morrible replied.

"Yes, Madame," Elphaba muttered. "What do you want me to do?"

"There is a piece of magic that is difficult, but I think it will prove itself useful to you in the future," Morrible said as she took Elphaba's book and opened it to a page close to the back before handing it back to Elphaba.

Elphaba perused the spell quietly and said, "A spell to persuade people to do what I want?"

"Yes, I have found that it is very nice to have when necessary," Morrible said breezily. "Read it for me, and we'll work from there."

Galinda pursed her lips and leaned her head on her hand as she tried to read through the spell Morrible had picked out while Elphaba read her spell aloud. After a few moments, Galinda realized that she had read the same sentence three times, and she had yet to understand what it meant. Elphaba's voice was very distracting, and Galinda blinked before focusing again on the words in front of her. She decided to skip the explanation of the spell and simply started to whisper the spell. She sighed, and muttered the spell one more time, shrieking in surprise when her book burst into flames.

Elphaba snapped her head in Galinda's direction and shouted another spell. Galinda bolted from her desk as Elphaba's spell extinguished the flames, shaking from the shock.

Elphaba rounded on Morrible once she was sure the fire was put out and said angrily, "That is why you shouldn't just let her read a spell on her own, especially one that is potentially dangerous."

"She should learn to read all the instructions before trying a new spell," Morrible replied. "Miss Galinda, you can find a replacement for your book that you so carelessly destroyed in my office. Miss Elphaba, please continue with your spell. Maybe when Miss Galinda returns, you can practice on her."

"No, we're done here," Elphaba said in a low voice as she grabbed Galinda's hand.

"Don't you dare walk out on me," Morrible threatened.

"I'm not walking out," Elphaba replied with a smile, gesturing towards the clock on the wall. "This class is over."

Tugging on Galinda's hand, Elphaba stormed out of the classroom. As soon as they were in the hallway, Galinda pulled Elphaba into a hug.

"Thank you," she said simply, pressing an affectionate kiss to Elphaba's cheek.

Elphaba shrugged and slung her arm over Galinda's shoulders, "She shouldn't treat you that way. I'm going to tutor you instead so you won't have any more mishaps in class."

"Can we go back to our room now?" Galinda asked as they walked out of the building.

"I have to go tutor Fiyero," Elphaba replied with a sigh. "You can come with me if you want."

"Where do you tutor him?" Galinda said dubiously.

Elphaba smiled, "The library. We both decided his room isn't the most appropriate place for us to work."

Galinda wrinkled her nose and said, "I think I'll just wait for you to get done, and we can all go to supper."

"Just don't get into any trouble," Elphaba told her with a wink as she headed down a different sidewalk. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Have fun!" Galinda called after her before continuing onto her room.

* * *

"I read that book," Fiyero said as he put it in front of Elphaba and sat down at the table.

She looked up and smiled, "Good. Did you find out anything interesting?"

He shrugged, "The Ozmas ruled Oz from the first year it organized as a nation until the appearance of the Wizard and the subsequent regime change, during which the Ozma and her regent mysteriously disappeared. Also, an interesting fact I found was that the rule of Oz still passes by heredity, even under the Wizard, and the law hasn't been changed as of yet. I double-checked in a more recent book."

"Wow, I'm impressed," she teased. "But, thank you for doing that. Even though it's not new information, at least I have all my prior knowledge confirmed."

"Do you mean to tell me that the book had nothing to do with History?" he asked in disappointment.

"No," she said slowly as she thought for a moment. "We have an essay coming up that you can write about the Ozma. Anyway, do you have anything you need to work on?"

He rifled through his bag and produced a sheaf of papers, "I got my test from Life Sciences back, and I was hoping that we could fix my wrong answers."

"How many?" she asked as she took the papers from him.

"I think ten," he said flippantly. "It looks like these sessions do help, though I don't ever remember doing a lot of studying with you."

She shook her head, "I don't think that's my fault. I think it helps that you've been paying attention in class. Ten out of seventy-five questions is actually very good."

"Well, I didn't want to brag," he said smugly.

She ruffled his hair and said, "I wouldn't want for your ego to get any bigger. I guess what you can do is compare your answers with your notes and see if you can't figure out the right answers on your own. Then, I'll help you with the ones you still don't have an answer for."

"Can I use your notes?" he asked with a sly smile.

"Yes," she sighed, pulling out her notebook and tossing it to him.

He flipped through the notebook casually and asked, "Hey, why were you early? Normally, I'm left waiting on you until you get done with your sorcery class. Did Morrible not show up?"

"Actually, Galinda set her textbook on fire," Elphaba replied absentmindedly.

"What?" Fiyero said sharply.

"Oh, it was a magical fire," Elphaba said quickly. "Morrible ignored her in favor of instructing me, and she set it on fire by accident when she recited the spell Morrible assigned her. Then, we left."

"You left your lesson early?" he questioned.

She raised an eyebrow, "No. We left on time. Normally, we both preferred to stay late in order to get more instruction, but I wasn't going to let Morrible abuse Galinda when the accident was Morrible's fault."

"Oh," he said softly. "Is Galinda all right?"

"I think she is," she said with a smile. "I think she's probably doing her nails or something equally as important. Now, do you want to start on those answers?"

He made a face, "What do you think?"

Laughing, she put her books to one side and said, "Fine, we can just hang out, and you can borrow my notes as long as you give them back tomorrow."

He stuffed the papers and notebook into his bag and leaned back in his chair, "Has Morrible mentioned anything more about what's happening in the Emerald City?"

"No," she replied as she looked at him. "Have you heard anything new?"

"Just more Animals are finding themselves unemployed. Do you think Morrible and the Wizard are working on new laws?" he said, looking up at the ceiling.

She snorted in response and crossed her arms over her chest, "I wouldn't doubt it."

He got up and said, "Let's go for a walk."

"What?" she asked in surprise as he pulled her out of her chair.

"Well, it's not like we're studying, so there's no point of staying in the library," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Plus, it's a nice day. Come on, it'll be fun."

She groaned and grabbed her bag as he led her outside and into the crisp air. She shivered, and he pulled her a little closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

Smiling up at him, she said, "You were right, this is nice."

He grinned, "I love hearing you say that."

"What?" she asked innocently.

"That I'm right about something," he said, squeezing her shoulder briefly.

She wrapped her fingers around his hand on her shoulder and replied, "Well, since the moments when you are right are so few and far between…"

He growled and tickled her side as she squirmed away from him, and they tumbled to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs. Laughing, she rolled and pinned his arms to the ground as he struggled against her.

"Let me up," he said as she grinned down at him.

"You shouldn't tickle me if you can't deal with the consequences," she warned. He pouted, and she sighed as she released his arms and stood up, "Fine. Now, I'm a little cold."

"I'll buy you something hot to drink," he offered.

She smiled and started to walk off, "Let's go, then, pretty boy."

He hurried after her and grabbed her hand, murmuring into her ear, "You know it."

Blushing, she shook her head and allowed him to pull her a little closer.

* * *

Boq sighed and asked for the third time, "Nessa, please, just tell me what I did wrong. You've been mad at me for days now."

Nessa glowered at him and snapped, "Fine. I'll tell you what you did. You spread a rumor about my sister around the entire campus, using information I told you in confidence."

"I…Nessa, I would never, ever do something like that," he sputtered in shock. "Who told you something like that?"

"I didn't have to be told," she replied. "Elphaba was accosted by a group of students who knew everything that I had told you. I know I didn't tell them, and Elphaba certainly didn't, so it must have been you."

Boq closed his eyes as he tried to remember, and sighed, "I'm sorry, Nessa, I didn't mean for that to happen. I was talking with Pfanee, and she was telling me something about Galinda, and somehow, it all slipped out."

"Galinda?" Nessa asked sharply.

Boq's eyes widened as he realized what he had said and immediately started trying to backtrack, "No, it's not what you think, Nessa…"

"Oh, don't think I don't know about your little crush on Miss Galinda," Nessa spat out, her pretty features twisting in anger.

"You know?" Boq asked cautiously.

"You think I don't see you when you're staring at her?" Nessa yelled. "You drool when she walks past you, and it's disgusting! What is so fascinating about her, Boq? Please, tell me, I want to know."

"It's nothing," he replied as he stared at the ground. "I'm with you, Nessa, you're my girlfriend. What I did was a mistake, and I'm sorry. Galinda is just a beautiful girl, and I promise you, I'm not in love with her or anything ridiculous like that."

Nessa closed her eyes as she shook her head, "Somehow, I just don't think I believe you."

Boq faltered for a moment before crossing the room and taking her hands in his.

"I love you," he murmured, kissing her gently.

Nessa's eyes glimmered with tears as she smiled at him and whispered, "I love you, too, Boq."

"Forgive me?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course," she said as he kissed her hand. "I always will, Boq."

Grinning, Boq leaned back in and kissed her, ignoring the flutter of a guilty conscience somewhere deep in his stomach. He wasn't lying; he did love her, just maybe not as much as she would like for him to. However, he was with her, he had chosen to stay with her, and he wasn't going to break her heart over a woman he couldn't have.


	8. Totally Fucked

_"Disappear – yeah, well, you wanna try / Wanna bundle up into some big ass lie / Long enough for them to all just quit / Long enough for you to get out of it."_**- "Totally Fucked" from Spring Awakening**

Sighing with boredom, Galinda rolled over on her bed and complained, "Elphie, can't we just take a short walk?"

"No," Elphaba replied tersely, not even looking up from her book. "We start exams tomorrow, and neither of us are anywhere near prepared."

"But, I'm bored," Galinda whined.

Fiyero looked up from the notes he had spread out in front of him and said, "Sweetie, I know you don't like to study, but we do need to pass our exams. Why don't you try a different subject?"

"You could work on those spells you practiced yesterday," Elphaba offered as she scribbled some notes in the notebook beside her.

Galinda huffed and clambered off her bed, grabbing her wand from where she had left it on her dresser. Pulling out her spellbook, she started to flick her wand and mutter the incantations under her breath. Elphaba kept one eye on Galinda as she continued to focus on her history book.

Fiyero frowned as he watched Galinda, "How long has it been since the two of you have had a class with Morrible?"

Shrugging, Elphaba replied, "She was gone so much to the Emerald City that she finally decided to simply stay there and come back to administer our exam. I think she is determined to make sure Galinda fails, so it will be a nasty surprise for her when she comes back and Galinda passes with flying colors."

"That will only happen if I can manage to create a substantial illusion," Galinda threw in as she twiddled her wand, her brows furrowed with concentration.

"Focus on the image in your mind, and you should be fine," Elphaba said calmly, returning to her book.

Fiyero watched Galinda for a little while, amused by the faces she made when she was concentrating, but when she failed to produce any interesting form of magic, he reluctantly turned his attention back to his history notes. Galinda glared down at her desk, and screwing up her eyes, she waved her wand and said the spell slowly. Elphaba looked up and gasped in surprise, making Galinda open her eyes and look around wildly.

"What is it?" she asked, panicking.

Elphaba smiled and gestured to the area in front of Galinda, "I think you were successful."

Galinda whipped her head around and beamed at the sight of a flower sitting on her desk. She waved her wand again, and the flower faded away.

Looking back at Elphaba, Galinda asked, "Now can we go for a walk?"

Groaning, Elphaba put her book to one side and said, "Fine. But, we can only be gone for ten minutes."

"Whatever you say, Elphie," Galinda said, already heading out the door.

Fiyero grinned and followed after his girlfriend as Elphaba hurried to catch up with them. When they emerged into the sunshine of a glorious spring afternoon, Galinda sighed with contentment and proceeded to prance down a sidewalk, dragging Fiyero by his hand after her. Elphaba lagged behind, preferring to enjoy the solitude.

Galinda glanced over her shoulder and called, "Come on, Elphie!"

Elphaba shook her head, "Goodness, Galinda, you are impatient today."

"You've had me cooped up in that room for hours," Galinda moaned dramatically as Elphaba joined them.

"It's called being a good student," Elphaba said with a teasing smile. "You'll catch onto the idea one day."

"You worry too much," Galinda replied. "You never miss a class, you remember everything, and you are constantly taking notes. What can you possibly be studying?"

Elphaba shrugged, "I can't take a chance on forgetting something that might be important."

"Well, let's just enjoy our walk," Fiyero said as he tugged both girls along. "We can talk about school in a little bit."

Sighing, Elphaba surveyed the students wandering around the campus, pulling her hand free of Fiyero's grasp when she laid eyes on Nessa and Boq sitting under a tree.

"Nessa!" Elphaba called with a smile.

Nessa looked up from the book in her lap and waved back to Elphaba as Boq stared at them. Elphaba took off across the grass with Galinda and Fiyero ambling behind her.

"What are you doing out of your room?" Nessa asked when Elphaba arrived at her side and took a seat on the ground.

"Galinda decided that we should take a short walk. Are you studying together?" Elphaba replied, giving Boq a small smile.

"We were," Boq said evenly, his cheeks coloring slightly when Galinda appeared in his line of vision.

Nessa's eyes narrowed as she looked from Boq to Galinda, but she said, "Yes, we were. Have you heard any news from Father?"

"I thought you would have," Elphaba said as she gave Nessa a confused look.

"He hasn't sent me a letter in a couple of weeks," Nessa told her. "I would like to know what arrangements he has made to make sure we both get home."

"I'm sure we'll just take the train like we did for our winter break," Elphaba replied calmly.

"You'll have to visit the Vinkus sometime," Fiyero piped up. "It would be a wonderful educational experience, and you can always bring your father with you."

Nessa straightened her skirt primly as she said, "That is a very long journey. I doubt Father would allow us to go so far from home."

Elphaba grimaced, but nodded her head in agreement, "She's right, Fiyero. I suppose you'll just have to travel to Gillikin, and maybe we could meet you there."

"That would be a wonderful idea!" Galinda squealed with excitement. "I'll have to talk to Momsie about it, but I'm sure she'll agree to it."

"It looks like the summer won't be so boring after all," Fiyero said with satisfaction as he sprawled out on the grass.

Rolling her eyes, Elphaba nudged his leg with her foot, "You look ridiculous."

"But, I'm comfortable," he countered with a cheeky wink.

Nessa shook her head in disapproval and opened her book again as Boq subtly inched his way closer to Galinda. Elphaba reached in Galinda's direction and took the girl's hand, lazily drawing circles on her skin with her green thumb. Fiyero contented himself with moving his head into Galinda's lap and allowing her to run her free hand through his hair as she smiled. Closing her eyes, Elphaba grinned with contentment and allowed herself to enjoy the sunshine for at least one afternoon.

* * *

Galinda's face was ashen with nervous anticipation as she paced the small classroom they had used for their sorcery classes. Elphaba stood off by herself, muttering incantations so quickly that her words bled into one another. When the door opened, both girls jumped in surprise before forcing smiles onto their faces as Morrible walked into the room.

"Good afternoon, ladies," Morrible said, giving them a dismissive nod. "We shall begin the exam immediately. Miss Elphaba, please step out of the room while I administer the exam to Miss Galinda."

Elphaba gave Galinda an encouraging smile as she left the room. Once the door closed behind her back, Elphaba began to pace the hallway, shooting anxious glances at the doorway. She was sure Galinda would pass, but she was worried that Morrible might make Galinda so agitated or upset that the poor girl would mess up a spell and possibly cause a disaster. She crossed her fingers and started to pray to any deity who would listen for Galinda to just make it through the next twenty minutes.

As soon as Elphaba flawlessly finished her last spell, Morrible smiled in approval and said, "Very good, Miss Elphaba. Kindly go and get Miss Galinda from the hallway."

Elphaba hurried over to the door and pulled it open, hissing at Galinda, "Morrible wants to see you."

Galinda scrambled to get up from where she had been slumped against the wall and walked into the room slowly, her face growing paler. Elphaba grabbed Galinda's hand in the hopes that it might make her calm down, and Galinda squeezed her fingers slightly as they both looked at Morrible.

"I must say that I am impressed with you aptitude, considering that we have been unable to hold official classes," Morrible said. "You both passed your exam. I congratulate you."

Galinda swayed on the spot as Elphaba pulled her into a hug. At a small cough from Morrible, the two girls pulled apart and turned back to the headmistress.

"Due to the fact that I am no longer able to instruct you in sorcery, the Wizard and I both feel that it is time for you to move to the Emerald City," Morrible announced with a wide grin.

Elphaba's stomach churned as she asked, "All three of us, Madame?"

"Yes, Miss Elphaba," Morrible replied. "You will not return home, but will immediately travel onto the Emerald City. I am sure you all will want to see your families, so we will make arrangements for that after you are settled in the palace. Do you have any questions?"

"No, Madame," Elphaba said quickly. "May we go now?"

"Yes, my dear," Morrible said graciously. "You will receive further instructions in a letter that should be in your mailboxes by now. I look forward to seeing you again once you reach the palace."

Elphaba nodded her head tersely and turned on her heel, nearly dragging Galinda out of the room. Once they were in the hallway, Elphaba relinquished Galinda's hand and stormed her way down the stairs and out of the building.

"Elphie, what's wrong?" Galinda asked, her breathing a little uneven from the brisk pace Elphaba had set.

"That bitch is trying to keep us under her thumb!" Elphaba bellowed in indignation. "She's afraid that we'll try to make a run for it or that we'll attempt to undermine her plans. Or, even worse, she and the Wizard are going to make up even more fucking laws that I'm going to have to enforce."

Letting out a shriek of frustration, Elphaba took off down the sidewalk, making Galinda jog after her. They found Fiyero waiting on them at their door, an envelope in his hand and his face dark with anger.

"I hate these fucking letters!" he fumed as he thrust it into Elphaba's face.

Elphaba's eyes widened as she read through the short missive, and pushing him out of the way, she jammed her key into the lock and forced the door open. Galinda followed after her a little more timidly, and Fiyero stalked in, slamming the door closed.

"I can't believe her!" Elphaba yelled, throwing her pillow across the room.

Galinda eyed the other objects within Elphaba's reach and immediately intervened, "What is it now?"

Elphaba shook with anger as she said, "Once we go the Emerald City, we are not allowed to leave unless otherwise given permission."

Galinda sank onto Elphaba's bed, her mouth falling open as Fiyero crumpled the letter in his hands.

"That's not even the worst part," he said in a low voice. "New Banns were issued today. Animals are no longer allowed to live among humans. They are to be moved to special quarters within the city, and all the provinces are to follow suit."

Elphaba's face paled, and she allowed her head to fall into her hands, "Oz, I thought we had more time. They're going to fucking kill every Animal in Oz."

Biting her lip, Galinda stared at the floor as Fiyero sat down beside her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. Elphaba walked to her desk in agitation and pulling a sheet of paper in her direction, she bent over and wrote a few sentences as quickly as she could.

"What are you doing, Elphie?" Galinda asked quietly.

"I'm writing a letter to my Father to explain what has happened. He'll need to come and get Nessa or make some kind of arrangements for her since I won't be able to take care of her," Elphaba replied as she stood up stiffly, folding the paper and stuffing it into an envelope.

Fiyero nodded his head, "We should send a letter to our parents, too, sweetheart."

"Make sure that if someone is reading our mail, they won't get suspicious," Elphaba instructed, handing them some paper and pens.

Nodding her head, Galinda slowly started to write out her letter as Elphaba fled the room. Fiyero looked after her for a moment before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Galinda asked as she looked up at him.

"I'll be back in a little bit," he replied, kissing her forehead gently.

He left the room and closed the door quietly behind him. As he walked down the hallway, he heard a sniffle, and so he hurried to the staircase, sighing when he saw Elphaba huddled on a stair, tears streaming down her face.

"Come here," he said softly, sitting down beside her and pulling her into his arms. As she sobbed, he murmured soothingly, "It's going to be all right, Elphaba."

"No, it's not," she whispered as she buried her face into his shoulder.

He just tightened his arms and allowed her to cry, sending up a silent prayer to a god that would listen for some kind of answer.


	9. All Shall Fade

_"Home is behind, the world ahead, / And there are many paths to tread, / Through shadow to the edge of night, / Until the stars are all alight."_**- "All Shall Fade" from The Lord of the Rings**

Elphaba wadded up a dress and threw it violently into her trunk; Galinda looked over from where she was meticulously folding her clothes and abandoned her task in order to rearrange the wrinkled mass of clothes that now inhabited Elphaba's trunk.

"Why bother?" Elphaba asked as she watched Galinda fold one of her dresses neatly. "It's going to be wrinkled, regardless."

Galinda shook her head, "Ignoring the fact that appearances are important and that you should care about that, it's something to do rather than worrying."

"Fine," Elphaba muttered, snatching a dress out of the trunk and mimicking Galinda's actions.

They worked quietly for a short while when the door opened, and Fiyero slipped inside.

Galinda looked up in surprise as she said, "Fiyero what are you doing here? You should be packing."

He kissed her forehead carelessly and knelt in front of the two girls, saying, "I have something for the two of you."

He reached into the bag he was carrying and pulled out two small guns, holding them carefully in the palms of his hands. A crumpled shirt slid unnoticed out of Elphaba's hands as she reached out to touch the shining metal barrel of one of the guns, her fingers caressing it gently.

"Fiyero, what are those for?" Galinda whispered, shrinking away from the weapons.

"They're for your protection," he replied. "We can't all stay together all day, and I will feel better if I know you have a way of protecting yourself if you run into trouble."

"But, Morrible promised that we won't be harmed if we do what she wants," Galinda protested.

"Do you honestly believe a word that she says?" Fiyero shot back. "Galinda, she's manipulating us, and if she decides that she doesn't want one of us in the picture anymore, who's to say that she won't try to harm us?"

"I still don't want anything to do with that damn gun," Galinda snapped. "And, you can't make me take it."

Galinda flounced across the room to her bed, and when Fiyero made a move to follow after her, Elphaba pulled him out of the room.

He whirled on her, seething, "What the hell are you doing?"

"You're only going to make things worse," Elphaba hissed as she dug her fingernails into his arm to make her point. "Leave the guns, and I'll convince her to keep it with her after you go back to your room."

"Why is she refusing to accept it, though?" he asked, slumping against the wall. "I feel like I don't know what's going on in her head, and I don't know what to do."

"Give her time," Elphaba replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "She's worried. But, maybe it would be best if I just go and talk to her. You can come back in, if you want, but don't say anything just yet."

"Fine," he agreed, pushing off from the wall and following after her back into the room.

He hovered by Elphaba's desk, his face strained with worry, and Elphaba walked over to Galinda's bed, sitting down beside her friend.

"He's right," Elphaba murmured. When Galinda met her gaze, she continued, "I know it sounds awful, but it is a possibility that you can't dismiss completely. You'll probably never even need to use the gun, but we have to be prepared, Galinda."

Galinda sniffled and said shakily, "I'm scared, Elphie, and I don't know what to do anymore. I'm not good at this, but I'm stuck anyway. You keep saying that everything is going to be fine, that we're going to be all right, but you don't believe that. I know you don't, and I can't keep pretending."

Elphaba shot Fiyero a pleading look, and he quickly joined the girls on the bed, wrapping his arms around Galinda's waist.

"We're going to be together, darling, the three of us," he said softly, brushing a kiss against her cheek. "That's all that matters when everything else doesn't make sense."

Closing her eyes, Galinda relaxed against his chest as she said, "You'll never leave me?"

"Not willingly," he replied with a slight smile.

Elphaba watched them, her eyes growing distant as she realized that they were drifting into a world where she couldn't follow. She eased herself off the bed and retreated from the room; there were times when she was jealous of them. They were a constant reminder of something she could never have, not only because no man would ever want her, but she could not and would not allow someone to ever get that close. She knew that she wouldn't be the one to get the happy ending, but she could settle for that if she could make sure that at least Galinda and Fiyero got the life they deserved. She was determined to find a way to get them out of the dangerous web Morrible had woven for them.

* * *

Nessa twisted the skirt of her dress in her hands, shooting a glare in Elphaba's direction. Her sister was ignoring her in favor of carrying on what seemed to be a very serious conversation with Fiyero and Galinda. Boq had stopped paying attention to her the moment Galinda had arrived at the train station. For the first time in her life, she was glad that Elphaba was leaving her behind. Not only would she be taking Galinda far away from Boq, but Nessa hoped that the greater distance from her sister would make Elphaba pay more attention to her. While Elphaba and Galinda had hated each other, Elphaba had spent all of her time with Nessa, and she resented Galinda for replacing her as Elphaba's confidant. Nessa tried to be happy for Elphaba, she really did, but it was hard to hide her loneliness and anger as Elphaba drifted away from her.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a comforting hand on her shoulder, and Nessa jerked away irritably, twisting around in her chair, fully prepared to berate Boq for his abandonment. She froze in between a smile and a frown, however, when she realized that it was Elphaba standing behind her.

"Oh, it's you," Nessa forced out disdainfully, her features smoothing over into a vaguely pleasant mask.

Kneeling at the wheelchair's side, Elphaba said softly, "I want to talk with you, Nessa."

Nessa considered refusing, but with one look at Elphaba, she relented, "All right. Wheel me over to that bench so you can sit down."

Elphaba complied, and once she was settled on the bench, Nessa said, "Now, what do you want to discuss?"

"First, I want to apologize for all of this," Elphaba said with a tentative smile. "I've been neglecting you, and I am so sorry. But, I'm going to try to be better. Even though I won't be able to visit right away, I'll try to find the time, and I'll write every week. I just want to make sure that you'll be fine without me."

"Of course I'll be fine," Nessa replied with indignation. "Why does everyone think that I'm such a helpless person?"

"Nessa," Elphaba said warningly, resting a hand on Nessa's arm.

Sighing, Nessa said quietly, "Is that all you wanted? Or, is there something else?"

"Actually, I did want to talk with you about Boq," Elphaba mumbled. As Nessa started to vehemently protest any such conversation, Elphaba pushed past her objections and said, "I know you don't want to hear this, but it might be best for you to consider ending your relationship with him. I've kept my mouth shut for a long time, but I can't leave with the worry that you might have your heart broken. Nessa, he has a crush on Galinda. I'm not sure why, considering that she hardly acknowledges his existence, but I can't help but see that he ignores you whenever she is in the room."

"I appreciate your concern, but I think I know what I'm doing," Nessa said icily, her expression darkening. "I'm well aware of the crush he entertains for Galinda, but as long as he can't tell me that he doesn't want to be with me, I'm going to stay with him because he gives me the love he can."

"You deserve better than that," Elphaba protested.

Nessa shook her head and allowed her eyes to drop to take in her wheelchair and the crippled legs hidden by her dress, "I don't think I do, and I can't help it, Elphaba, I love him. I can't make myself let him go."

Pulling Nessa into a hug, Elphaba murmured, "I hope things get better, Nessie. I wish I could do something for you."

"Don't worry about me," Nessa whispered, brushing her fingers against Elphaba's cheek. "I'm going to be fine, I promise."

"Your train is going to be leaving soon, and I need to make sure my luggage makes it onto my train," Elphaba said when she noticed Boq approaching them. She separated a little reluctantly from Nessa and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Take care of yourself. I'll write to you as soon as I can."

Nessa released Elphaba with a sigh and watched her leave, her heart sinking in her chest. Boq gripped the handles of her wheelchair and pushed her in the opposite direction of the platform Elphaba was waiting on.

"You'll see her soon," Boq said confidently when he noticed Nessa's crestfallen face.

"I don't think I will," Nessa murmured, keeping her eyes trained on her entwined fingers to stop herself from looking back.

Elphaba watched Boq wheel Nessa away, and Galinda wrapped an arm around Elphaba's waist.

"She's going to be fine, Elphie," Galinda said softly, leaning her head against Elphaba's shoulder.

"I hope so," Elphaba murmured. "Come on, we need to get on the train."

Fiyero took Galinda's hand as they boarded the train and headed for a seat that was out of the way of all the other passengers. Elphaba settled next to a window, and Galinda and Fiyero opted to sit across from her.

"Well, it looks like we're onto the next great adventure," Fiyero said with a slight laugh. At Elphaba's unamused expression, he nudged her leg with his foot, "Smile, Elphaba. I refuse to spend this whole train ride to the Emerald City with the doom and gloom you've been predicting for the past several months."

"Don't tease her," Galinda admonished him gently. "But, maybe we should just try to enjoy this. It will be the last time we can all three just be together without worrying about whether someone is listening in on our conversation or not."

"I'll try," Elphaba said grudgingly.

"I'll tell a fascinating story from my childhood," Fiyero offered.

Her eyes sparkling with amusement, Elphaba said, "And, you don't think too highly of yourself?"

Fiyero stuck his tongue out at Elphaba, and Galinda giggled as she cuddled into Fiyero's side. Elphaba huddled down into her seat and propped her legs up on his knees.

"Am I now demoted to the role of a footrest now?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Just tell the damn story," Elphaba shot back with a smirk.

Groaning, Fiyero winked at her, and played affectionately with Galinda's hair as he started to speak as the train sped down the tracks towards the Emerald City where all that waited for them was the unknown.


	10. Your Heart Will Be True

_"May it be you journey on / To light the day / When the night is overcome / You may rise to find the sun."_**- "May It Be" by Enya**

"Fiyero, wake up," Elphaba said insistently as she shook the prince's shoulders.

"No," he moaned, burying his face in the cushion of his seat.

Galinda rolled her eyes and said, "Darling, we're in the Emerald City, and unless you want to make an impromptu visit to the Vinkus with a very mad Morrible in pursuit because you couldn't drag your ass off the train, I would suggest that you get up."

Sighing, he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Fine. Now, do we have any idea of how we're supposed to reach the palace?"

"I think the armed guards waiting outside are all too willing to help," Elphaba replied dryly, pointing out the window to a group of around fifteen men scowling at the train.

"Well, they look like a friendly bunch," Galinda said as she gathered up her things. "Come on. We had better get out there before they raid the train and frighten all the passengers."

Fiyero stretched as the two girls grabbed their bags, and he followed them reluctantly into the brilliant sunlight that made the green shade of the city dazzle their eyes.

Blinking, Elphaba looked at the guards who were wearing tinted glasses and asked, "Do you have any glasses for us? After our ride in that dim train, the sunlight is nearly unbearable."

"Here," the guard in front of the others said as he handed them identical pairs of glasses. "I apologize for forgetting to offer them to you."

"That is perfectly all right," Galinda said with a gracious smile. "Now, should we journey to the palace? I would not want to excite Madame Morrible with the idea that the train could have possibly crashed and killed all its passengers."

"Of course," the guard replied with a nod of his head, signaling to a few of his men to stay behind to take care of the luggage.

Two carriages waited for the small group outside the station; the guard motioned for his charges to enter the last carriage while he assigned three guards to the first. The rest took up formation around the vehicles, their hands resting on their gleaming guns as their eyes roved their surroundings, looking for any danger.

After Fiyero took his place beside Galinda in the carriage, it started to move, lumbering through the busy streets of the city.

"Does Morrible really think that this amount of guards is necessary?" Galinda asked as she pulled her glasses off impatiently.

Elphaba shrugged and removed her glasses to fiddle with them. "She might feel that we will try to run away. Or, perhaps she's worried that any underground resistance might attempt to attack us."

"Why isn't the Wizard involved in any of our concerns?" Fiyero asked as he sprawled in his seat. "He is the head of the government."

"Most of our dealings have been with Morrible because she serves as his mouthpiece," Elphaba replied. "Besides, he has no magical abilities while Morrible does. He's only a fraud."

"But, even without magical powers, he still managed to convince all of Oz that he is an incredibly gifted wizard, which means that he is just as dangerous an enemy as Morrible," Fiyero said as he raised his glasses above his eyes so that he could meet Elphaba's gaze.

"Point taken," Elphaba said with a slight smile. "I just hope that the rumors of an underground resistance are true. Imagine what we could do with their help."

"We'll get ourselves killed," Galinda said blandly. At Elphaba's pointed glare, she continued speaking, "If Morrible really thinks that we'll be very useful to her, then we will move to the top of any assassin's hit list. No resistance movement would allow the most valuable agents of the government to live. That would be insanity."

"She's right, Elphaba," Fiyero agreed. "Unless we successfully infiltrate a resistance movement and gain its trust, which is very unlikely, we should focus on keeping alive until we have a way to escape."

Elphaba sighed. "One step at a time, then."

The carriage pulled to a stop jerkily, and once she had regained her balance, Elphaba slipped glasses back on and promptly exited the carriage. Galinda and Fiyero took a little longer to join her, the latter still disoriented by the new atmosphere and lack of sleep.

"Greetings," Morrible called from the grand steps of the palace. "I trust that you had a pleasant journey?"

"It was quite uneventful," Galinda responded immediately, striding up the steps with a gracious smile. "We are glad that we arrived here safely and without any excitement."

"Very good, Glinda," Morrible said, already focused on Elphaba. "Elphaba, it is unusual for you to hold your tongue on any matter of conversation."

Elphaba shrugged her shoulders with indifference. "I merely have no interest in exchanging meaningless pleasantries. I apologize if my silence has offended you, Madame. That was most certainly not my intention."

"I'm sure," Morrible muttered as she narrowed her eyes. "Come along, then. The Wizard has been eagerly awaiting your arrival all day."

The three fell into step behind Morrible as they ascended the steps into the ominous yawning entrance of the palace. Instead of finding a contrasting dimness once inside, the palace was cheerily bright, the activity of servants and government officials feeling out of place next to their lethargic procession with Morrible. Some stopped to stare at Elphaba, the usual pointed fingers and whispers following her as she stalked through the crowd; Fiyero glared at any who dared to laugh at Elphaba while Galinda grasped Elphaba's hand gently.

Taking a sharp right, Morrible led them down a narrow corridor, the hum of activity fading away until the only sounds that could be heard were their footsteps on the cool stone floor. The corridor ended with a door, and Elphaba hesitated on the threshold behind Morrible as a wave of uneasiness washed over her. Galinda prodded her back and Elphaba continued into the room with Galinda and Fiyero traipsing in behind her. The Wizard bounded out of his armchair once they were inside, beaming.

"It's so good to see you again, Elphaba!" he greeted her excitedly, taking her hand.

Elphaba stiffened as she said, "Thank you."

"And, you must be Glinda," the Wizard said as his eyes landed on the slender blonde. "You were right, Madame Morrible. She is an exquisitely beautiful woman."

"It's Galinda," Galinda corrected him patiently. "You forgot the 'guh'."

"Have you forgotten our arrangement?" Morrible asked coldly. "You will be addressed as Glinda now."

Elphaba saw that her friend was about to protest and intervened. "You just forgot for a moment, didn't you, Glinda?"

Glinda nodded her head, her blue eyes growing moist. "Yes. Forgive me, please."

"Of course, my dear," the Wizard said, patting Glinda's hand. "And, you must be Prince Fiyero, our new ambassador from the Vinkus."

Fiyero grinned rakishly, running a hand through his dark hair. "I generally just go by Fiyero."

Elphaba rolled her eyes as Glinda giggled; the Wizard smiled in appreciation as he exchanged a look with Morrible.

"Since we are doing away with formalities, I insist that you all call me by my name, Oscar," he said. "I like to think of myself as a father for all of Oz, and you will be the ones to help me build a utopia out of this broken down country."

"While I feel that it is very important that we begin working toward that goal as soon as possible, we are all exhausted by the train ride," Elphaba said quickly. "May we be shown to our rooms?"

"Of course," Oscar replied immediately. "I do not allow servants into this room, but if you step outside, I am sure that you will find servants waiting to escort you to your suites. I hope you have a pleasant and restful evening, and I look forward to beginning our work tomorrow."

Elphaba nodded her head in acknowledgement of his statement and led her companions out the door as Oscar watched, a smile still pasted on his face. Once the door closed behind them, he turned to Morrible.

"This is a mistake," he said, his smile disappearing. "They're just children. It's wrong to use them like this."

"Don't let their youth fool you," Morrible snapped impatiently as he opened a bottle of amber liquid. "They will do anything in their power to remove you from your position."

He sipped his drink gingerly. "Then, why did you bring them here? Surely acting as my employees will only make that goal easier to attain."

"I would rather keep them close and under our control than allow that damned underground resistance to recruit them," Morrible replied. "Besides, our arrangement with Elphaba has given us the upper hand."

"I still don't see how," he said, refilling his glass. "With those two here, what is to keep all of them from disappearing?"

Morrible smiled. "You are forgetting about her sister. As long as Nessa is alive, Elphaba will remain here, and the others will follow her lead. Now, she and the others will resist as much as they can, but there is only so much that they can do. At the moment, I worry most about Fiyero's ability to cause mischief. He has a job that requires him to leave the Emerald City when necessary, and he is still the heir to the Vinkus throne. We will have the least amount of power over him."

"What about Glinda?" Oscar asked grimly. "I'm afraid that you are not fully aware of what she can do merely because she's beautiful. She's more intelligent than she lets on."

"Yes, and more gifted in magic than she realizes," Morrible said. "At the moment, though, she depends heavily on Elphaba. Glinda will not become a problem until she needs her friend less."

Oscar nodded his head as he put his glass aside. "You have done very well, Madame. I trust that you are fully aware of all that Elphaba is capable of doing?"

"She will be your greatest asset and worst enemy," Morrible murmured, her eyes glimmering with smug content. "Depend on the fact that she will wreak havoc upon the Animal community."

Oscar laughed with delight and took Morrible's hand as he said, "Then, we shall have a wonderful year, my dear Madame."

"Yes, we shall," Morrible agreed, a twisted smirk on her face.

* * *

Glinda sighed as she collapsed into a heap on Elphaba's large bed; Fiyero grinned in amusement and joined her while Elphaba surveyed her new room.

"I don't like that you're on the above floor," Elphaba remarked to Fiyero. "I don't feel comfortable with the idea that they're trying to separate us."

"At least Glinda is at the end of this hallway," Fiyero offered. "And, it's not like we're separated from each other by being on opposite ends of the palace. It's only a staircase."

"It just makes our secret midnight meetings a little harder," Glinda said as she examined Elphaba's bedding. "But, not impossible."

Elphaba sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "I suppose you're both right. I'm just nervous about their plans. We really don't know what they want from us. It's not a comforting thought to know we're at Morrible's mercy."

"I rather like the Wizard," Glinda announced, ignoring the glare immediately directed at her. "Sure, he's planning some bad stuff, but I think he actually cares about making Oz a better place. Perhaps that could be something we can use to our advantage."

"I agree with Glinda," Fiyero said.

"Of course you do," Elphaba muttered.

"Now is not the time for smart-ass comments," Fiyero huffed. "Anyway, I don't think it would be a good idea to completely dismiss the thought of winning the Wizard to our side."

"Maybe you two are right," Elphaba replied, kneading her fists into her lap. "But, for the moment, we need to concentrate on gathering as much information as possible about our surroundings and the present situation. For the time being, we can know that my research has ruled out the idea of the Ozma serving as the figurehead for any resistance. However, even though we aren't planning to do anything right away, we need to keep our eyes and ears open for any opportunities to aid some sort of resistance."

Glinda bit her lip as she said, "We just need to be careful. My father's illness wasn't an accident; he's been involved with groups of people suspected of subversive activity against the Wizard, and I believe he was poisoned as a warning. I doubt Morrible will be as lenient with us since we're a much bigger danger to her than she would like."

"Very well, then," Elphaba muttered, the idea of anything less than a takeover within the year chafing at her stubbornness.

"You'll be our biggest asset, my dear," Fiyero told Glinda fondly. "People assume that you're dumb because you're beautiful, so they'll be less careful with what they say around you."

"The Wizard might also take you into his confidence," Elphaba said quickly. "He was quite taken with you after only a few minutes spent in your company."

"I won't have to do anything distasteful, will I?" Glinda asked, clearly distressed by the idea of the Wizard bestowing any affectionate gesture upon her.

"I think his fondness is more similar to what a father would feel for a daughter," Fiyero said comfortingly as he wrapped his arm around Glinda's shoulders. "Don't remove yourself from the equation, though, Elphaba. He seemed most comfortable with you, and he certainly showed no more affection for Glinda than he did for you."

"As flattering as that may be, I would prefer for him to focus on Glinda," Elphaba replied, grimacing. "I'm not very good at manipulating people; I prefer bluntness."

Fiyero shrugged. "He might like that in you. It was merely something I observed. I have only just met the man. I won't pretend to know all that goes through his mind."

"Well, I feel that it is time for me to go unpack," Glinda groaned as she crawled off the bed. "Fiyero, dear, will you come keep me company?"

"Of course," he said with a smile. "We'll see you at dinner, then, Elphaba?"

"Yes," she answered distractedly.

Fiyero shook his head in amusement as he left the room with Glinda. As the door closed, Elphaba moved to her luggage, opening a small bag. Her eyes landed on the gun Fiyero had given her; she ran her fingers along the gleaming metal as she thought about the future. She hoped that she had not doomed Glinda and Fiyero. For some reason, she could not shake her apprehension at being trapped in the city with Morrible and the Wizard watching her every move; it was a game of secrecy and wits that they were almost sure to lose.


	11. Fade Into This Life

_"And I never want to let you down / Forgive me if I slip away / Sometimes it's hard to find the ground / 'Cause I keep on falling as I try / To get away from this crazy world."_**- "February Song" by Josh Groban**

Elphaba groaned as she rolled over in her bed, awakened by the insisting knocking on the other side of her door. She stumbled to the door and pulled it open, glaring at the servant standing in the hallway.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly.

"Madame Morrible sent me to summon you to breakfast," the servant girl stammered. "I'm sorry if I woke you, my lady."

Elphaba rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "No, I'm sorry for snapping at you. Go back to Madame Morrible and tell her I will be in the banquet hall in half an hour."

The servant girl curtsied quickly as she said, "Yes, my lady."

As the girl hurried away, Elphaba shut the door with a bemused smile even as she yawned. She had not been sleeping very well, always too aware of all the movements in the hallway long after she had retired to bed. Of course, only a few days had passed since her arrival in the Emerald City. Shaking her head, she walked to her private bathroom to ready herself for the day.

"It is good of you to join us, Elphaba," Morrible said as the green woman slipped into the banquet hall.

"I apologize for sleeping so late," Elphaba said quickly as she sat down beside Glinda. "I still have not adjusted to my new living arrangements."

"I'm sure that you will be more comfortable by the end of the week," Oscar commented, flashing a smile in her direction.

Elphaba merely acknowledged his presence with a nod of her head as Glinda pushed a bowl of fruit in her direction.

"You have to eat," Glinda said softly, nudging Elphaba's arm.

Fiyero watched carefully as Elphaba took a few bites to humor Glinda; Morrible sipped on her juice, her eyes never leaving Elphaba's face.

"Today, Elphaba and Glinda will be measured for a new wardrobe fitting for their new positions," Oscar said cheerily, attempting to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "I'm sure that will be an enjoyable day."

"For most girls, it would be," Elphaba said dryly.

Glinda laughed and said, "Yes, well, you will simply have to endure, Elphie."

"And, this afternoon, Oscar wishes to make an official announcement regarding the two of you," Morrible said.

"But, we haven't had any time to prepare something to say," Glinda protested.

"That won't be necessary, my dear," Oscar interjected quickly. "Morrible has already prepared an excellent speech to announce your new positions, and you will not have to speak today."

"If you will excuse me, I would like to send my sister a letter before the seamstress arrives," Elphaba said quietly as she stood up.

Glinda quickly followed suit. "Breakfast was wonderful as always. Where shall we meet with the seamstress?"

"In my chambers," Morrible replied pleasantly. "She will be here in about an hour, so do not take too much time with your letters."

"Of course, Madame," Glinda said, laying a gentle hand on Elphaba's arm as they left the room.

Fiyero shifted uncomfortably once the girls were gone and glanced at Oscar. "So, what am I supposed to do?"

"You might consider meeting with the ambassadors from Munchkinland, Gillikin, and Quadling Country," Oscar suggested as he put his napkin aside. "Beyond that, I wouldn't know. I only deal with ambassadors when it comes to official agreements. You might want to send a letter to your parents as well."

Nodding his head, Fiyero stood up, tossing his napkin casually onto the table. "Thank you, sir. If you will excuse me…"

"Of course, of course," Oscar beamed as he waved his hand.

Fiyero smiled curtly and strode out of the room as Oscar watched him, his gaze gentle.

"Don't allow yourself to be too fond of them," Morrible warned, noticing Oscar's expression. "We must remain focused."

"They're just so young," Oscar sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "I especially like Elphaba; there's something so familiar about her that I can't place."

"You're too soft," Morrible snapped.

"Better that than a bitch," he replied mildly. "Honestly, you act like I'm going to completely forget what we're trying to do here. I merely appreciate their company."

"Just remember that it was I who helped you take over Oz," she said coldly. She stood up, straightening her dress. "Now, I have some business to attend to before my speech this afternoon."

"What business would that be?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Some research on spells for torturing and killing prisoners," she said with a smirk. "It's still experimental, mainly because any such spells were forbidden a long time ago. However, I am making excellent progress."

"Good," he told her. "I will be in my chambers, putting the finishing touches on your speech and the spectacle to accompany it if you need me."

Morrible nodded her head and swept out of the banquet hall as he drained his goblet of the last of his juice. Straightening his loose bowtie, he slipped out a side door hidden behind a tapestry.

* * *

"May I come in?" Fiyero asked as he softly rapped on Glinda's door.

He was rewarded with the appearance of her face as she said, "Of course, dear. Do you need something?"

"I just wanted to see you," he replied, pulling her to him for a kiss.

She sighed with content as she leaned into him, his arms wrapping comfortably around her waist. Taking a step back, she gazed up at his face, her fingers brushing his dark hair away from his face.

"Elphaba looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep again," she remarked, her eyes filled with worry.

"It's understandable," he told her gently. "She still feels responsible for this whole situation, and I'm sure she's already worrying about whatever Morrible has up her sleeve. She'll be fine, love."

Glinda smiled slightly. "I've missed you. It's been so long since we've been together, just the two of us."

"I'll try to be better about that," he promised, dropping a fond kiss on her forehead. "I think we've both been preoccupied."

"True," she agreed, moving to her vanity to grab a piece of stationary. "We still need to make sure that we look out for Elphaba. She has no sense of limits when it comes to doing what she wants; she'll drive herself crazy if she doesn't start sleeping."

"What are you doing?" he asked, a disappointed look on his face as she sat down on the edge of her bed.

"I have to write this letter," she said patiently. At the puppy dog look he gave her, she simply shook her head. "No, I have to take care of this. This is going to be a very busy day, and you know that Elphie is going to want to work on learning that new spell tonight."

"I should probably do the same," he admitted as he sat down beside her. "How do you feel about the spells Elphaba is teaching you? It's not too much for you to handle, is it?"

"No," she replied immediately. "Well, they're more difficult than what I'm used to doing. But, I'm actually able to cast them. Elphie insists that I have talent, but I don't think I believe her."

"You're amazing," he said softly, nuzzling his nose against her cheek.

She laughed. "Are you going to stop trying to distract me?"

"One more kiss?" he asked hopefully as he puckered his lips.

She kissed him gently and pulled away. "I'm sorry, I promise that I'll have more time tonight."

He sighed as he stood up. "Until then, my love."

"You don't have to leave," she protested slightly as he started to walk away.

"I have to write a letter of my own, and I also need to meet with the other ambassadors," he told her with an apologetic smile. "I'll join you for the speech. You'll need some eye candy on your arm."

"Self-flattery is not attractive," she called after him as he ducked out the door. As the door swung shut, she shook her head in amusement and turned her attention to the blank piece of paper in her hands.

* * *

As Glinda adjusted the buttons on the back of Elphaba's dress, Elphaba shifted impatiently.

"Elphie, honestly, hold still," Glinda huffed, her blue eyes narrowing with frustration.

Elphaba groaned. "I hate this dress. I hate this whole thing."

"Public appearances are about to be a big part of your life," Glinda replied distractedly as she returned to her task. "Get used to it."

"Well, I'm not going to like it," Elphaba said obstinantly.

"Good for you," Fiyero said with a laugh as he joined the two women. "Morrible is on her way. I'm impressed that the two of you are early."

"Oscar isn't coming?" Glinda asked as she pulled a pin out of Elphaba's black hair to rearrange the silky tresses.

"He's the Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Elphaba said with a roll of her eyes. "He doesn't deign to grace the public with his presence. Glinda, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to fix your hair," Glinda snapped, pushing the pin back into Elphaba's hair with a little more force than needed. "There, that looks better."

"Long day?" Fiyero ventured, perturbed by the animosity between the two women.

"We begin working with Morrible tomorrow," Elphaba explained. "And, obviously, we're both less than pleased."

"She was very rude," Glinda agreed, moving to Fiyero for comfort.

"Oh, well, that would explain a lot," Fiyero remarked.

"I don't see why you won't just turn her into a toad, Elphie," Glinda said as she rested her head on Fiyero's shoulder.

"I don't think angering Oscar would be the best idea," Elphaba replied.

"You would be doing him a favor," Glinda said insistently. "They don't even like each other."

"If I knew how, believe me, I would," Elphaba said with a sigh of frustration. "But, I don't know of any spells that could accomplish anything like that."

"Wasn't that why books were made?" Fiyero asked innocently.

Elphaba glared at him. "This is not the time to be a smartass."

Glinda giggled and kissed his cheek as Morrible walked up.

"Well, come along," Morrible snapped as she made her way to the balcony. "The people of Oz are waiting."

Elphaba bit her lip as she scowled and followed after Morrible, Glinda and Fiyero only a few steps behind. The crowd erupted into cheers as Morrible appeared in the sunlight, and Elphaba and Glinda took their places behind the older woman as she quieted the crowd.

"My dear Ozians, today is a glorious day," Morrible said, her rich voice carrying across the great square. "I will no longer serve as the Press Secretary for the Wizard, but I have been promoted to the position of Grand Vizier. During these times of great change, a new Press Secretary has been selected, the beautiful Glinda Upland. And, in order to keep order during these coming years of turbulence is Elphaba Thropp, our new Justice of the Peace. Both women will work towards the good of Oz under the Wonderful Wizard's guidance as his plans come to fruition."

The crowd's cheers interrupted her speech, and Morrible took a step back from the railing to bask in the glory; at Morrible's prompting, Glinda and Elphaba waved to the people below, their faces bearing studied expressions of serene aloofness. As Morrible moved forward to continue speaking, Elphaba glanced over at Glinda, her face melting into worry.

"How are we supposed to fight against such blind obedience?" she asked quietly even as the crowd began cheering for more of Morrible's words.

Glinda shook her head. "We can't worry about that. It looks like we're going to have a hard enough time surviving the next few years."

* * *

Fiyero started as the door to Glinda's bedroom slammed open, and a very irate Glinda stormed inside.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, a little frightened by the expression on her face.

"Elphaba is…is…oh, I just can't stand her!" Glinda shouted, her hands gripping the skirt of her dress tightly.

He raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"She just pushes and pushes, and I can't take it anymore," Glinda snarled. "I don't want to have anything to do with her."

"Were you having trouble with the spell?" Fiyero questioned gently. When Glinda glared at him, he raised his hands to protest his innocence. "Hey, I'm just asking. I wasn't there."

"No, I was actually doing very well," Glinda replied. "But, she kept needling me, insisting that I could do better. I don't know what she wants from me."

"You know, that's not usual behavior for her," he said as he pulled her down into his lap. "Has something happened?"

"Morrible has been less than kind in our lessons, but that's nothing new," Glinda sighed, her anger evaporating. "I just don't know what to do anymore. It's like whatever I do is never good enough. Elphie has to know that I'm just not as good at magic as she is."

Fiyero pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I know you're frustrated, love, but something has been bothering Elphaba lately. Maybe that's why she was so difficult tonight."

"Well, now I want to know what's wrong," Glinda said.

"Go talk to her," Fiyero suggested.

"No," Glinda replied grumpily. She shrugged her shoulders when Fiyero gave her an exasperated look. "She's still a little mad at me. I wasn't exactly very nice to her, either."

Fiyero patted her leg. "Well, I'll go talk to her. Why don't you bathe, and I'll be back in a few minutes?"

Glinda stood up, a slight smile on her face. "Thank you. You know I love you, right?"

"There's not a doubt in my mind," he replied, brushing his lips against hers. "Now, go. I won't be gone long."

As Glinda disappeared into her bathroom, Fiyero left the room and walked down the hall to Elphaba's suite. He knocked gently on the door.

"Go away, Glinda," Elphaba responded angrily at the sound.

"Well, I'm not Glinda, so what should I do?" Fiyero asked as he waited.

Elphaba opened the door and glared at him. "What do you want?"

"I was coming to see why you're so testy this evening," he replied mildly.

"Fuck off," she growled, even though she didn't prevent him from pushing past her into her room.

"I would take offense at that if I suspected you really meant it," he told her as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Now, talk. Something has been eating at you all week, and it can't just be working with Morrible."

Elphaba rubbed her temples as she said, "Nessa hasn't replied to any of my letters, and I suspect that someone is deliberately preventing her from receiving anything I send to her."

"Are you attempting to incite her to lead Munchkinland to rebel against the Wizard?" Fiyero asked.

"Of course not," she snapped.

"Well, it is something you would try," he pointed out.

She couldn't suppress the smile that spread across her face. "Okay, so that's true. But, no, I have no idea why this is happening."

"Maybe she's simply been too busy to respond," he suggested. "She is still a student at Shiz. It's not like she's sitting around with nothing to do."

"Are you trying to say that I'm probably overreacting?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"That would be it," he said with satisfaction. "Now, do you think you can manage to play nicely with Glinda from now on? It would have been worlds easier if you had just told her what was bothering you rather than just being mean."

"I guess you're right," she said as she lowered her eyes to the floor.

He noticed the sad look on her face and quickly moved to pull her into his arms.

"Hey, don't get upset," he comforted her. "I know you didn't mean to be like that."

"I feel like such a bitch," she whispered. She blinked rapidly and stepped away from him. "I'm fine. Really, Fiyero, I'm all right. I overreacted, and I'm sorry. I'll apologize to Glinda tomorrow. You should probably go spend time with her."

"Are you sure?" he asked carefully. "You know, I won't mind if you want to talk to her yourself."

"She misses you," Elphaba said quietly. "And, she needs you. So, go be with her. I can tell her I'm sorry just as well tomorrow morning."

"Okay," he said, not completely convinced.

"Go," she commanded, pointing to the door.

Laughing, he blew her a kiss and left, leaving her alone; Elphaba glanced around the room and sighed as she unbraided her long hair. Throwing her tresses over her shoulder, she moved to her bed, her hand slipping into her nearby dresser drawer to finger the small gun hidden there. She had so many nightmares now. She suspected some might be visions of the future, but they were so confusing that she could not separate the possibilities from the fears floating through her mind. She shook her head and burrowed under her sheets as she turned off her lamp, determined to not worry about her sister or to think about how she had felt when Fiyero had smiled at her.


	12. Highway to Hell

_"No stop signs, speed limit, nobody's gonna slow me down / Like a wheel, gonna spin it. / Nobody's gonna mess me around."_**- "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC**

Elphaba sighed in frustration as she eyed the large stack of papers a servant had just delivered courtesy of Madame Morrible. Glinda glanced up from the notes she had spread out on her desk and smile wryly.

"More work?" Glinda asked as she returned her attention to her smudged pages.

"Yes," Elphaba growled, snapping the book she had been studying shut. "Along with learning all these new spells, I now have to go through these papers."

Glinda laughed as she walked over to examine the documents. "Here, I'll help."

"You still have to finish your speech," Elphaba protested.

"How about a trade, then?" Glinda offered. "I'm stuck on it anyway."

"Get Fiyero to help you," Elphaba said as she stowed her book in her neatly organized bookshelves.

Glinda looked at her, mildly surprised. "You would trust Fiyero with a speech for the people of Oz?"

Elphaba shrugged. "He has a way with words and people that's…special. Besides, he doesn't have all that much to do. He was just complaining about how bored he is."

"I'll talk to him…." Glinda trailed off as she scanned the paper in her hands. Her face paled as she said in a low voice, "Oh, no. Elphie, this…."

Elphaba hurried to her side once she heard the distress in Glinda's voice; taking the paper from Glinda's grip, Elphaba examined it, her expression darkening.

"Fuck," Elphaba spat out as she stalked to the door. "That fucking _bitch_!"

"Elphie, don't do anything foolish," Glinda said as she took off after her friend.

Ignoring her, Elphaba stormed into Morrible's office as she clenched the paper tightly in her hand.

"What the fuck is this?" she demanded angrily, throwing the wrinkled paper onto Morrible's desk.

Morrible looked at the page as she said calmly, "These are files I had sent to you on all the Animals awaiting trial within the month. I also provided you with the laws they have violated and the punishments for breaking those laws."

"These laws don't exist!" Elphaba bellowed as Glinda slipped unnoticed into the room. "You can't just make up things out of thin air and expect for people to see it as justice!"

"They are new laws that are being signed by the Wizard right now," Morrible replied with a tight smile. "Glinda will be announcing them in her speech this evening. By the way, Glinda, is that speech finished yet? I need to read through it and give you my approval before allowing the public to hear it."

Elphaba whirled around to face Glinda, faltering in her righteousness. "Glinda, did you know about this and not tell me?"

Glinda shook her head quickly as she said, "Elphie, I had no idea. She only told me that the Wizard was giving a wonderful gift to Oz. I thought it might be improvements to the Emerald City or something like that."

"I refuse to participate in this farce," Elphaba snapped. "Charging the innocent with crimes that are not only ludicrous but were committed unwittingly is wicked."

"Then you will break the conditions of our agreement," Morrible said with a sigh. "Think very hard, Elphaba, about what you are considering. You are responsible for many different people, and you will be the one to sentence them to a long and horrific death. Think about the people who depend on you."

Elphaba chewed her bottom lip before saying through gritted teeth, "I am terribly sorry, Madame, for disturbing you over this issue. Please forgive my temper."

"You are forgiven, my dear," Morrible replied as she smiled smugly. "You are also excused from our private tutoring sessions until the trials have ended. However, I expect you to return once they are over. There are many things you still need to learn."

"Of course," Elphaba muttered. Turning on her heel, Elphaba stalking out of the room, snapping as she left, "Glinda, let's go."

As Glinda hurried out of the room, Morrible called after her, "Don't forget to bring me your speech, Glinda."

Glinda struggled to keep up with Elphaba's long strides, barely even hearing Morrible.

Shaking her head, Glinda grabbed Elphaba's arm. "Elphie, this is crazy. Just, calm down."

"Glinda, if we don't keep walking and I actually let myself think about what just happened, something is going to burst into flames or explode, and I would prefer for it not to be you," Elphaba replied shakily, pulling her arm from Glinda's grasp and continuing down the hallway.

"Well, I appreciate that, but I'm having trouble keeping up with you," Glinda grumbled.

Elphaba's lip quirked upward, and she said, "I'll slow down, then. Don't worry about me, though. You need to focus on that speech so you can get it done."

"I probably shouldn't work on it now," Glinda said. "I'm too tempted to litter it with adjectives I'm sure Morrible would find inappropriate."

Elphaba laughed, her gentle cackle echoing in the empty hallway, and Glinda smiled with relief; as they kept walking, Fiyero appeared through a door, looking slightly bewildered.

"I heard about the commotion, and then I heard Elphaba laughing, so I thought I would come see what was happening," he said as Glinda reached out for his hand. "So, what did I miss?"

"Morrible and the Wizard have drafted new laws that will basically punish any Animal who dares to exist," Elphaba said bitterly. "The trials start in two weeks."

"Do you know their names?" Fiyero asked curiously.

Elphaba shook her head. "They're assigned numbers. I think it's to keep me from finding any of their families and helping them to escape. I don't know anymore. Maybe that's what they're called in the prisons to keep track of them and to break their spirits."

"It's going to be okay, Elphie," Glinda said, smiling at her. "None of the punishments involve death or torture."

"Explicitly, anyway," Elphaba muttered bitterly. "They're going to work all the Animals to death, and some will be caged up. Morrible wants to set up something called a zoo."

Glinda blanched. "I overheard her talking with the Wizard about that the other day. It's a place where they cage up Animals, and people can stare at them, call them names, throw things at them, anything they want. It sounded horrible."

"We can't keep letting this happen," Elphaba said, balling her hands into fists. "We have to do something."

"There's not much you can do," Fiyero said softly. When Elphaba glared at him, he quickly said, "I meant that your position prevents you from being able to do all that much good. Once the trials start, no Animal will trust you, and the Resistance certainly won't. Now, I can try to find out some information and see if I can join up with them."

"What about me?" Glinda piped up. "Do you think I can be any good?"

"Maybe after I gained their trust," Fiyero said slowly.

"Why Glinda and not me?" Elphaba demanded, irritated. "She's working for the Wizard just like me."

Fiyero sighed. "People are funny creatures, Elphaba. You have a great deal of power, and that frightens everyone. It won't be long before Morrible makes you use your magical abilities to torture, or even kill, Animals, and you know that. Glinda is different. She's merely a spokesperson for the Wizard. Regardless of the fact that she does have magical abilities, she does not have the power you do, nor will she probably ever be forced to use her abilities against the innocent."

"Fine," Elphaba agreed. "Do what you can, but be careful. If Morrible even suspects, you could lose your life."

"I'm well aware of that," Fiyero replied. "It's worth it, though."

"Glinda, you need to go and finish that speech," Elphaba reminded her.

"Oh, I had completely forgotten," Glinda said, snapping her fingers. "Fiyero, will you come with me?"

"Certainly," he agreed with a broad smile.

"Try to keep from getting too distracted," Elphaba told Glinda. "I'm going to get those papers and start going through them."

Glinda nodded her head, and holding tightly to Fiyero's hand, she walked down the hallway with him as Elphaba sighed and pushed the wisps of hair that had escaped her long braid away from her face.

* * *

Elphaba shifted uncomfortably in her hard chair as she gazed around the room; the Wizard's throne room had been re-arranged for the purposes of the trial, and there was an unusual amount of reporters in rows in front of her. A lot of citizens of the Emerald City were there to witness the trials firsthand, and even a school group was seated directly in front of her. A few schoolboys pointed at her and snickered, so she glared at them so icily that they wilted under her gaze. As she smiled in satisfaction, Morrible appeared at her side.

"Remember your duties," Morrible hissed into her ear. "You are an impartial judge, regardless of your own feelings."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I know. We discussed this yesterday." Suspicion dawned in her mind, and she glanced at Morrible. "What do you have planned?"

"Nothing more than I've shared with you," Morrible said with a smile. "Now, I think it is time to begin."

Sighing, Elphaba addressed the room. "The trials will now begin. Anyone who causes a disruption will be immediately escorted out. Guards, bring in the first prisoner."

The doors opened, and Elphaba glanced down at her papers, cursing the fact that her hands had started to tremble. She waited a few moments and looked up, all the air rushing out of her lungs.

"Dr. Dillamond," she whispered.

Dr. Dillamond's eyes widened at the sight of Elphaba, and he said, "Miss Elphaba?"

One of the guards hit him and barked, "Keep silent, goat."

Elphaba closed her eyes and attempted to calm herself down; she should have known. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her face into an expressionless mask.

"You have been charged with teaching rebellious ideas to the students of Shiz, of promoting anarchy and the overthrow of the Wizard," Elphaba said in a clear voice. "You have committed high treason against the government. The sentence for this is death."

"Miss Elphaba, you know those are all lies," he protested, struggling against the guards restraining him. "I taught you! You know I never…."

The guards knocked him to the ground, effectively silencing him as Elphaba watched; she waved her hand dismissively, and the guards carried the Goat out of the room.

"Bring in the next prisoner," she commanded, the edge of desperation in her voice only heard by Morrible.

* * *

Oscar wandered blithely through his private gardens, reveling in the strange plants that thrived there; the wildlife of Oz fascinated him because it was so similar to his own home, but much more exotic. It was as though all the colors were brighter and sharper in Oz. He supposed that was partially due to his memory, though. He frowned at the sound of sobs coming from behind a flowering bush nearby, and he decided to investigate. He was shocked to see Elphaba sitting in the dirt, still in the beautiful dress Morrible had had made for her, her hair falling from her elegant bun, and tears streaming down her cheeks.

She looked up, and immediately glared at him, her arms wrapping across her chest in a defensive maneuver.

"Is something wrong?" he asked tentatively.

"Leave me alone," she snapped. "I'm fine."

"You look anything but fine," he replied with a slight laugh. "It's cold out here. You should get inside."

She glanced at his proffered hand and smiled bitterly. "I'm not going anywhere with you, you sick bastard."

He thought very quickly, attempting to figure out when he had offended her, and he realized what was wrong.

"The trials started today," he murmured with an understanding nod. "Well, I'm sorry that this is so hard for you, but it's for the good of Oz."

"You're killing citizens of Oz," she replied angrily. "How is that good for anyone?"

"They're unnatural," he protested. "Animals should not speak."

"According to you," she spat out. "That doesn't mean you're right."

"Again, I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Get the hell away from me," she growled, standing up and giving him a scathing look.

Oscar sighed as she walked away, and he rubbed the back of his neck as he scuffed the toe of his shoe against the ground. He ran a hand through his graying hair and walked purposefully back to the palace. Within a few minutes, he was standing outside of Morrible's chambers and knocking on her door.

"Come in," she called.

He let himself in, ignoring the grandeur of her quarters as he focused on the woman sitting in a large armchair.

"We need to talk," he said without preamble, sinking into the nearest chair.

"Have a seat," she said irritably. "What is the problem?"

"What we're doing," he replied with a sigh. "This…it's not right."

"You've been talking to Elphaba," she said shrewdly. Leaning forward, she continued, "Listen carefully to me, Oscar. She is a girl, a child. She does not understand politics and she is not interested in what is best for Oz. Do not give her ridiculous ideals any thought."

"She's not a child," he protested sullenly. "And, what if she's right?"

"Are you saying that you don't trust me?" Morrible asked, narrowing her eyes. "Have you forgotten that I was the one who helped you become the Wonderful Wizard of Oz? You've never questioned my judgment before."

He shook his head. "This is different. Sending the Ozma away wasn't a crime. It's not like we killed her like we plan to with these Animals."

"You're naïve if you believed that the Ozma was going to be left alive," she said coolly.

"You had her murdered?" he asked incredulously. "She was only a young girl."

"She was your worst enemy," she replied as she picked up a cup of tea from the small table beside her chair. "You would have never been secure in your position if she was left alive. I told you that I was going to have her taken care of. You should have known that did not mean putting her up in a secret mansion and allowing her to grow up and lead a rebellion against you."

"Maybe you were right then," he conceded. "However, how are the Animals dangerous? They've never caused problems."

"If you want to keep the Ozians in line, you have to show your power," Morrible told him patiently. "People respond better when you can show the differences between them and the ones you're 'persecuting.' Most people are happy with what we're doing."

"There's still the Resistance," he reminded her.

"They haven't managed to do anything significant yet," Morrible replied sharply. "The Resistance is not a threat at the moment, and it will never be. Now, put that green freak out of your mind. She's not anything to you, no matter how much you want to pretend that she is."

He nodded his head. "Fine. Well, have a pleasant evening, Madame. I will see you in the morning."

Standing up, he smiled briefly at her before leaving the room; Morrible watched him leave, already thinking of some way she could fetter Elphaba to keep her from being as much trouble.

* * *

Knocking furiously on Elphaba's door, Glinda bounced nervously as Fiyero rubbed his chin.

"What do you want?" Elphaba snapped as she flung her door open.

"Morrible wants us to meet her in the Wizard's throne room," Fiyero replied immediately.

"Something is wrong, Elphie, I can feel it," Glinda said as she stepped into the room.

"What makes you think that?" Elphaba asked as she finished putting her pins into her hair.

"Morrible seems too happy," Glinda said. She sighed as she watched Elphaba. "No, let me help you."

Elphaba grimaced as Glinda yanked a few pins out of her black hair and started to rearrange her tresses. Fiyero looked on with an amused grin on his face.

"There, now you're ready," Glinda said with satisfaction.

Elphaba frowned and looked at her reflection in the mirror. "I thought you said I was getting better at this."

"You are," Glinda reassured her as she headed for the door. "I just wanted to help you."

Shrugging, Elphaba brushed her hand against Fiyero's arm as she joined Glinda. "Well, I suppose we need to see what Morrible wants from us today."

Fiyero groaned but followed dutifully behind Glinda as she led the way to the throne room, Elphaba falling into step beside him. It was a short walk, especially since all of them were preoccupied with worries about what could be waiting for them. As they entered the throne room, Morrible smiled at them and motioned for them to join her.

"I have delightful news for all of you," Morrible trilled, her excitement falling flat with the trio.

"What is it, Madame?" Glinda asked as she linked her arm through Fiyero's.

"We have a visitor coming to the palace to live with us," Morrible replied. "He's from a prominent Gillikinese family, and I believe he will prove to be a very special help for Elphaba."

"I'm not sure I understand," Elphaba said, cocking an eyebrow. "I do not need any help from an outsider."

"We'll discuss all of that in a minute," Morrible said as she waved her hand dismissively. "There he is."

The doors opened, and a young man entered the room, the light glinting off his wavy blonde hair. He trained his ice-blue eyes on Elphaba as he sauntered to the group, a smirk playing with his lips.

Taking Elphaba's hand, he kissed it and raked her body with his eyes as he said, "Hello, my darling."

Elphaba jerked her hand away from him and turned to Morrible as she snapped, "Explain."

Morrible smiled. "This is Avaric, and he is your fiancée."


	13. Poker Face

_"Luck and intuition / With spades to start / And after he's been hooked / I'll play the one that's on his heart."_**- "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga**

Elphaba twisted the large diamond ring on her finger, her brows furrowed with irritation, as she waited with Glinda and Fiyero at the Shiz train station. It was difficult to believe it had been a full year since they had all left the school behind, but they had returned to celebrate Nessa's graduation. Elphaba could not keep the small smile off her face as she remembered the carefully folded up letter from her father asking her to attend the event stowed in her suitcase.

"It's just so surreal!" Glinda bounced on her toes as she gazed around the familiar surroundings, beaming.

"If we had stayed, this would be our graduation," Fiyero mused, wrapping a repressive arm around Glinda's shoulders.

Elphaba turned to look at her friends, and her good mood dissipated into the surprisingly warm spring air as Avaric strode up to the little group.

"Well, I think I've managed to arrange for all our luggage to arrive at the right hotel."

"Bully for you," Fiyero muttered.

Elphaba bit her lip; she was not incredibly fond of Avaric herself, but she also knew that it was unwise to agitate him. After all, he had Morrible's ear, and he had made it all too clear that he was willing to share anything and everything with the wretched woman.

"Thank you." It was all the gratitude she could muster up, and she relaxed at the easy grin that spread across his face.

He placed his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his body. "You know I'm always happy to do anything for you, my love."

"You still make my skin crawl," Elphaba hissed, pushing him away as Frex approached their small gathering.

Frex smiled. "I'm glad you could make it, Elphaba. Nessa will be pleased."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." Elphaba's face shone with happiness. "Father, I'm sure you remember Glinda and Fiyero."

"Of course." Frex shook Fiyero's hand as he eyed Avaric, his eyes flickering across the sight of the gaudy ring on Elphaba's left hand. "And, I don't believe we've met, good sir."

"Oh, this is Avaric. He's my, um…my fiancée," Elphaba explained hurriedly, her eyes cooling as she glanced in Avaric's direction.

Frex gripped Avaric's hand in a firm grip, his mouth set in a tight line. "It's good to make the acquaintance of the young man who has captured my eldest daughter's heart. Do you work for the Wizard as well?"

"In a manner of speaking." Avaric leaned back on his heels and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

Linking her arm through Frex's, Elphaba started towards the carriage waiting for them. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before now, Father."

"I heard about the announcement," he responded stiffly. "Are you in love with him?"

"I think this might be a story better left for after we are settled in our rooms." She chanced a look back at Avaric and sighed when she saw he was watching them closely. "Talking too openly can be dangerous."

Frex nodded his head and handed her up into the carriage, following behind as Fiyero and Glinda situated themselves in the seat across from them. Avaric waited until they were all seated before jumping inside, pressing closely to Elphaba in order to squeeze into the small space. She frowned at the close contact, but did not complain; however, she did notice Fiyero glaring at the blonde boy beside her, and her heart fluttered a little.

Elphaba paced in front of the crackling fireplace, twisting the ring on her finger around and around; Frex waited for her to speak, ignoring Glinda where she was lounging in a nearby chair as she observed Elphaba's agitation through narrowed eyes.

"Where are your companions?"

Elphaba shrugged her shoulders. "Fiyero is entertaining Avaric. They're probably at a bar, getting drunk. They can't stand to be around each other when sober." She paused, biting her bottom lip. "It was a surprise, Father. My engagement, I mean. It was orchestrated by Morrible, and he's been spying on me to make sure that I'm not hindering her plans for Oz. The Wizard wasn't incredibly happy about the arrangement, but he hasn't interfered."

"Has a date been set for a wedding?" Frex questioned from where he stood near the door.

"No. I doubt there ever will be if any of us can help it." Elphaba laughed softly. "Avaric pretends to be a doting fiancé for any who might be watching, but he doesn't like me anymore than I like him."

He nodded his head. "Well, let me know if anything changes. Now, the two of you probably want to rest after your travel. We'll leave for Shiz in the morning, and I am hosting a party the next day in Munchkinland. Will you be able to attend?"

"I'll send Morrible a letter immediately to let her know that we'll be a day later than we planned," Glinda volunteered. "It might be the last time you and Nessa will see Elphaba for a while. There are a lot of things that are about to happen in the Emerald City."

"Goodnight." Frex gave them a tight smile and left the room.

Glinda waited until the door closed to turn to Elphaba, her blue eyes wide. "Elphie, you need to keep an eye on him. I've heard talk in the palace, from Morrible and other important people that he's under suspicion because he might be working with the Resistance. You know Morrible won't hesitate to have him killed if she feels he's becoming a danger."

"My father is actually working against the government?" Elphaba didn't even bother containing her surprise. "I never expected that from him. I see no reason to stop him from doing something right."

"Because it will make it easier for Morrible to interfere in Munchkinland," Glinda protested. "Nessa is young and inexperienced; she won't be prepared to become governor, and a lack of trust between Munchkinland and the Emerald City could lead to a breakdown in communication. Do you really want to be forced to stand against your own family and possibly execute them yourself?"

Elphaba sighed and rubbed her temples gingerly as she said, "I understand what you're saying. I'll talk to him after we get to Munchkinland. He can't get into too much trouble here, especially with Nessa's big day occupying his thoughts. Has Fiyero mentioned anything about his attempts to infiltrate the Resistance?"

"He's close, but they're still wary of him. It's going to take more time."

"We don't have much time left, Glinda."

"I know."

* * *

Smoothing the front of her off-white dress, Elphaba examined her reflection in the full-length mirror in her old room; the dress cut off right above her knees, the skirt floating down from her waist. One thing she hated to admit that she did enjoy about working for the Wizard was the unlimited amounts of clothing tailored specifically for her. It made all the difference, and there were times she even felt slightly attractive. Glinda wrapped an arm around Elphaba's waist and leaned her head on the slightly taller girl.

"You look spectacular," Glinda reassured her as the door opened behind them.

Elphaba turned to see Fiyero standing in the doorway, a hesitant smile coming to her face.

"Wow, you two look gorgeous." He kissed Glinda's cheek and flashed a grin in Elphaba's direction. "Shall we join the party? Any longer, and you'll arrive after the guest of honor, which would probably be rude."

"Where's Avaric?" Elphaba looked past Fiyero, thinking that he might be lurking in the hallway.

Fiyero frowned. "I don't know. I'm not his keeper."

"Settle down, dear, it's just best if we know where he is." Glinda patted his arm as she headed towards the door. "He's probably waiting on you downstairs, Elphie."

Elphaba nodded her head and followed after the happy couple, picking at the wide neckline of her dress; sure enough, Avaric was standing at the foot of the stairs, a smile on his face as Elphaba glared at him. When she reached him, he took her hand, and she immediately snatched it out of his grasp.

"Don't touch me," she muttered, pushing her way through the crowd towards her father.

Avaric followed behind her, but she ignored him, preferring to watch as Boq wheeled Nessa into the ballroom; once Nessa's eyes settled on her elder sister, she whispered something to Boq, and he promptly wheeled her to her family. Smiling prettily, her cheeks flushed with excitement, Nessa held her arms up to Elphaba, and Elphaba bent down to pull Nessa into a hug.

"I've missed you, Nessie," Elphaba said quietly. "I'm sorry that I had to leave so suddenly after your graduation ceremony."

"I understand that you have other responsibilities." Nessa couldn't help but smile when Elphaba put her hands on the wheelchair handles. "I'm just glad that you could make my party. Things haven't been the same since you left. Your fiancée is very handsome."

"I'll talk to you about that later." Elphaba's eyes flickered to Avaric, and she looked away, her cheeks burning, when she saw the dark desire in his gaze. "It's a little…complicated."

Elphaba turned her attentions to Boq, taking in his actions towards Nessa, slightly surprised when he didn't even notice Glinda's presence. He only had eyes for Nessa, and he kissed her cheek gently as he whispered something into her ear that made her giggle. Shaking her head, Nessa murmured something back to him and allowed him to kiss her cheek once more before looking up at Elphaba.

"Enjoy the party, Elphaba." Nessa's eyes sparkled as Boq took command of her wheelchair. "Boq and I are going to dance for a little while. We want to take advantage of the time we have together because he has to go home in a few days."

"Of course." Elphaba smiled and stood patiently beside her father as she watched her sister and Boq move to the center of the dance floor.

"May I have this dance?"

Elphaba started at Avaric's presence at her elbow and scowled. "I don't have any interest in dancing with you."

"It's a shame that you're in such a nice dress and you look so beautiful, and you don't want to enjoy the evening," he responded, his hand still extended out to her. "I promise that I won't be inappropriate."

"Flattery is not going to make me like you anymore." But, she let him take her hand and lead her onto the dance floor to join the merrily spinning couples. "I would have thought you would be bothering the prettiest girl here because you're always so confident that you can get whatever woman you want."

"Who says I'm not doing that now?"

Elphaba just rolled her eyes and allowed him to spin her out from his body and back again, the faint scent of his cologne teasing her nose; he smiled, and she found herself smiling back before remembering who he was and reconstructing her face into a more appropriate expression of mild interest. She took a small step back, intent on distancing herself from Avaric, and she bumped into a solid chest. Gasping in surprise, she gazed up at Fiyero as Avaric hovered at her shoulder.

"May I cut in?" Fiyero smiled down at Elphaba, ignoring Avaric. "Glinda was stolen away by another guest."

"We were dancing," Avaric replied, wrapping an arm around Elphaba's waist. "Just because you couldn't keep your woman doesn't mean you can take mine."

Fiyero's smile tightened, and he rested a firm hand on Elphaba's arm. "I don't believe I asked you to dance. Elphaba?"

She could feel the growing tension between the two men, and she attempted to extricate herself from the situation, but that only resulted in them moving closer to her. Shaking her head in disgust, she forcibly removed Avaric's arm and wrenched her own limb out of Fiyero's hand.

"I am so tired of the two of you fighting over me like I'm some toy. I don't belong to either of you, so I would appreciate it if you would leave out of your petty feud." She glared at Fiyero when he stepped towards her. "Just leave me alone. I don't want any part of this."

She stalked out of the grand ballroom and into the gardens; the night air was a welcome change from the hot dance floor, and the garden was blissfully empty. She wandered down the familiar path as she fiddled with her ring.

"Elphaba? Is everything all right?"

Elphaba turned and smiled at Nessa. "Your party is wonderful."

"You didn't really answer my question."

"I'm not interested in talking about much of anything. Sorry."

"I had hoped that you cared about Avaric, but I suppose that isn't true."

"What makes you think that?"

Nessa pursed her lips. "Your outburst in the ballroom seemed to make your feelings for him perfectly clear. It was quite scandalous."

Elphaba groaned and covered her eyes with one hand. "Please tell me that I didn't ruin the party. I would really like to not be the center of attention for once."

"I think it only made the party more interesting," Nessa replied, laying a comforting hand on Elphaba's arm. "I did want to ask you about what happened after my graduation. Why did those men come to get you?"

"They had an Animal in their custody, and they suspected that he was helping to hide other Animals. I tried to convince them to handle the problem themselves, but they insisted that I perform my duties." She sighed. "He died during questioning."

"How did asking him questions kill him?"

Elphaba almost scoffed at Nessa's innocence, but she restrained herself. "Questioning includes torture. I oversaw his questioning, and they pushed him too hard. So, he died."

* * *

Fiyero stormed down the hallway, ignoring the clicking of Glinda's heels as she hurried after him; he growled out an inarticulate curse and slowed his pace to wait on Glinda.

"What is wrong with you?" She forced him to look at her, her eyes wide with concern.

He shook his head. "He's an asshole."

"That's not exactly a new problem," she said, arching an eyebrow in a manner that was eerily reminiscent of Elphaba. "You know, Elphie was right to reprimand you. Despite the fact that you don't like Avaric, you're not the one who is engaged to him, so it would help everyone if you could keep your temper under control. Elphie is the one who has to deal with him, and if she can stand his presence, then you should make the effort to do the same."

"I didn't expect you to understand," he grumbled. "You probably think they're falling in love."

"Just to be clear, I do not think they have any romantic feelings for each other whatsoever. That is your own paranoia. I simply think that you are overstepping your bounds."

"When did I say that I thought they were falling in love?"

"You were putting words into my mouth!"

"So, are we going to argue about this now?"

"Only if you're going to insist on being a stubborn ass."

He kissed her. "I don't want to fight. Walk with me?"

She smiled and linked their arms together. "To the ends of the earth."

* * *

Elphaba pulled the pins from Nessa's hair and began to brush the dark glossy curls; she had discarded her heels as soon as the two had retreated to Nessa's quarters, and she relished the plush carpet underneath her feet.

"Is Father involved in the Resistance?" Elphaba saw no point in cushioning the question, and when Nessa didn't act surprised, Elphaba had the confirmation she needed. "He needs to be careful. Morrible is watching him carefully, and if she has a reason to believe that he is involved in subversive activities, she will not hesitate to have him taken care of."

"Assassinated, you mean," Nessa replied coolly. She craned her neck to see Elphaba's expression. "I'm not a child. I'm well aware of what he is risking, and he is as well. He's being careful."

"I just don't want to see you hurt." Elphaba continued brushing Nessa's hair. "I noticed that Boq no longer seems to have a crush on Glinda. What happened to him?"

Nessa laughed. "He pined after Glinda after you all left for the city. However, he came to me a few months later, and he actually apologized for not treating me the way he should have. After that, we've been happy."

"I'm glad."

"I love him, Elphaba."

Elphaba paused, holding the brush in mid-air as she said, "Does he love you?"

"I think he does," Nessa responded, a timid smile on her face. "I feel like it. It's sometimes hard for me to believe that he actually cares for me. I never believed that anyone could see past my handicap, this damned chair. But, he's stayed with me when I've never asked him to, and I don't think he would have if he didn't at least have some feelings for me. What do you think?"

"I think that he's very lucky to have you." Elphaba put the brush to one side. "Are you ready for bed?"

Nessa nodded her head. "I want to stay up because you have to leave tomorrow, but I'm exhausted. Do you mind helping me?"

"I never do, Nessa," Elphaba replied.

* * *

"Is everything packed?" Glinda fiddled with the handles of her handbag as Fiyero joined her side.

"I think so."

Glinda nodded her head as she told him, "We need to leave soon then if we're going to make it onto our train."

"I don't see why we aren't provided private transportation." He sighed and kissed her cheek. "Is Elphaba ready yet?"

"She's saying goodbye to her family, and I think Avaric is with her. We can wait for them in the carriage since we've already spoken to Governor Thropp and Nessa."

"Are you sure that we shouldn't make sure that Avaric won't cause any trouble?"

"Leave it alone, Fiyero. Elphaba can handle him, and he'll be more likely to cause trouble if you're around."

"Fine. We'll wait."

Elphaba watched as Fiyero and Glinda entered the carriage as she moved forward to give Nessa a hug.

"Write to me," Nessa murmured.

"I will." Elphaba tucked a curl behind Nessa's ear and smiled. "Take care of yourself." She turned to Frex and nodded her head. "It was good to see you again, Father."

"Yes. Visit sometime soon." He shifted uncomfortably, taking a step forward and then deciding to move back.

Avaric rolled his eyes. "Elphaba, we have to go."

"I'm saying goodbye to my family," she snapped. "Go sulk in the carriage."

He shook his head. "I was just trying to be helpful. I'll wait with Glinda and Fiyero."

As he walked off, she frowned at the glum look on his face, but she shrugged her shoulders and pushed some stray hairs away from her face.

"Be careful," she said softly, keeping her eyes focused on Frex. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Frex nodded his head and placed a hand on Nessa's shoulder. Her lips quirking up into a small smile, Elphaba walked off to the carriage and climbed inside, settling beside Glinda. Taking one look at Elphaba's face, Glinda laced her arm around Elphaba's waist as her eyes met Fiyero's. He sighed and leaned back in his seat as the carriage pulled away from Elphaba's home.

* * *

Avaric paced back and forth in Morrible's study, pretending to ignore the bulgy-eyed stare she had fixed on him. He really wanted to be in bed because he had only just arrived back in the city, but she had summoned him immediately; he wished he hadn't seen the glare Elphaba had given him as he slipped away from the group to meet with Morrible.

"Tell me everything."

"There isn't much to tell," he responded, running a hand through his wavy hair. "We went to Nessa's graduation, and we were pulled away from the ceremony to oversee the questioning of an Animal that the Shiz law enforcement had taken into custody."

"What happened there?" Morrible leaned forward, her eyes lit up with interest.

Avaric shrugged. "The Animal was killed during questioning. Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero all had a hard time recuperating. Elphaba locked herself into her hotel room for a few hours, and Fiyero and Glinda disappeared until we had to leave for Munchkinland. Then, we went to Nessa's party and came back."

She pursed her lips as she studied his face. "I heard there was a problem at the party. Elphaba had a less than happy reaction to your romantic advancements, bringing into question the legitimacy of your engagement."

"Any talk will die down soon enough with the advancement of the new regulations for Animals that you're announcing tomorrow."

"Did you tell Elphaba about any of this?"

"I've followed your instructions to the letter so far. Why do you think I would risk angering you for the sake of a woman who hates me?"

"I just want to make sure that you're not tempted to change sides after spending so much time with her. She can be very…convincing. Even Oscar has had problems resisting her ideas."

"Don't worry about me betraying you. I'm not interested in her." He rubbed at his eyes, but she caught the troubled look in his eyes.

"Get some sleep," she instructed him. "Keep an eye on Fiyero. I think he might be attempting to join the Resistance under Elphaba's instructions. If that is the case, he will need to be removed from the picture."

He just sighed and scuffed his heel against the floor on his way out the door as his thoughts wandered to Elphaba who was probably sitting beside her window; he sometimes watched her when he wandered through the courtyards at night, the moonlight creating an ethereal glow around her. There were times where he supposed she could be considered beautiful, if she was seen in that context. Still, that was inconsequential. He had a duty to his family and to his country.


	14. Faithfully

_"Through space and time / Always another show / Wondering where I am / Lost without you."_**- "Faithfully" by Journey**

Elphaba rearranged the plans for a new section of the city, her brows furrowed with concentration; no matter how she looked at it, she could not force herself to look past the ghetto that was being established to contain the Animals in a convenient place for their impending execution. She felt sick to her stomach, and glancing out the window, she suddenly realized that the entire day had passed, and she had yet to eat anything. Taking a step away from the table, she took a steadying breath and ignored the weakness in her limbs as she started for the door. Before she could reach for the doorknob, the door burst open, and she moved to the side, narrowly avoiding being knocked to the floor by the unexpected entrance.

Glinda stood in the doorway, her chest heaving, and she grabbed Elphaba's arm. "You have to come with me. It's Fiyero. He's been hurt."

Elphaba opened her mouth to ask a question, but one look at Glinda's fear-filled eyes made her snap her lips together and follow obediently after the blonde. Glinda led her to Fiyero's bedroom and glanced about them to make sure there were no unwelcome guards or spies before motioning for Elphaba to slip inside. Elphaba paused a few steps from the doorway, her head spinning, and she reached out for Glinda to latch onto a steady presence. She closed her eyes and breathed quietly until the spell passed and she was able to focus on Fiyero where he was lying in his bed.

His face was covered with bruises and cuts, one of his eyes swollen completely shut; Elphaba hissed as she noticed a few burns on his bare feet and chest, and the unmistakable marks of a whip intercrossing all over his body.

"What happened?"

Fiyero opened his left eye and grimaced. "I managed to get into the Resistance. The initiation kind of sucked."

Tears pooled in Glinda's eyes as she moved to his side. "He barely managed to make it back to the palace, and I came to get you as soon as I helped him here. I just can't believe that they would do this to one of their own."

"They had to make sure that I wouldn't break under torture if I was discovered," Fiyero explained. "I passed the test. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here at all."

At that moment, Glinda let loose the sob she had been holding back. Elphaba could feel her heart breaking at her friend's pain, but she shook her head and focused on the task at hand.

"Fiyero, I can heal you, but it's not going to be a pleasant process," she told him quietly. "Just trust me that I am helping you, no matter how bad the pain is."

His open eye sought her gaze, and she saw there all the permission she needed; taking a step back, she closed her eyes and focused on the spell she needed. She was suddenly thankful that Morrible didn't pay much attention to the spells she learned in her own time. Glinda's sobs quieted, and Elphaba began to chant the spell, directing her attention first to the most severe wounds, the power unwinding from the heavy words that she uttered. Fiyero squeezed his eyes shut and bit down on his bottom lip, drawing blood as he attempted to keep a scream from erupting from his mouth. Elphaba forced herself to ignore his agony and continued, her body swaying from the effort of concentration. A few moments later, Fiyero blissfully slipped into unconsciousness, and she completed the spell. As she scanned his body to make sure that she had not missed any wound, she felt her faintness coming back, and she swayed. Glinda looked up in time to see Avaric appear from the doorway to catch Elphaba as she fell to the floor.

"How much did you see?"

Avaric met Glinda's icy gaze. "I'm not going to tell anyone. Elphaba needs my help right now."

He didn't wait for her to respond, but loped out of the room, Elphaba cradled gently against his chest; he glanced down at her delicate face, a touch of tenderness appearing in his determined face. He reached her chambers and laid her onto her bed. Once he had made sure that she would not miss him for a few minutes, he left for the kitchens to snatch some food for her when she awoke.

* * *

Elphaba laid very still, assessing her body to make sure she still had control over all her functions. Surprisingly, she did not have any bruises from when she must have hit the floor after she blacked out, and she could not account for the soft cushion of her mattress beneath her; Glinda certainly hadn't caught her. Elphaba had enough of a grasp on the physics of the natural world to understand that such a feat was impossible. She opened her eyes and blinked against the flickering light of the candles that had been lit beside her bed, and she stiffened when she saw Avaric sitting in a nearby chair.

"You," she spat out, sitting up. She quickly regretted the swift movement as the room swam before her eyes, and Avaric shot out of his chair to grasp her arm.

"I have some food for you," he offered, holding out a plate of fresh fruit and a few slices of bread. "I thought you wouldn't be in the mood for anything hot or heavy. I also brought you a glass of wine."

She took the plate from him without any gratitude and forced a grape into her mouth; she chewed slowly, fighting back the bile rising in the back of her throat.

"You shouldn't go a whole day without eating. You're not invincible."

"I would thank you if you would keep your inane mouth shut while I eat. I'm already too close to expelling the contents of my stomach to put up with anything you say."

He lapsed into silence and studied her as she continued to eat. She shifted underneath his intense gaze before finally rolling her eyes.

"What do you want from me?" she snapped.

He shrugged. "I want to make sure that you actually eat because you're normally so determined to drive your body to self-destruction. Not only that, but I'm avoiding Morrible. This will be the last place she'll look for me."

"Why is that?"

"She assumes that I hate you, and I have seen no reason to correct that belief."

Elphaba's head shot up from where she had been contemplating the remaining fruit on her plate. "You don't hate me?"

"Why should I? The only reason you're so rude to me is because I've been brought here to spy on you. The one thing you don't know about me is that I am here about as willingly as you are." He smiled at the shock that spread across her face.

She sputtered for a moment before regaining her composure. "I'm not sure I believe you. We all have a choice."

"That's right. We do all have a choice. And, yet here you are, the biggest champion for Animal rights, working for Morrible because you place more value on your family and friends' lives than the lives of the innocent," he told her in a soft voice. "Like you, I could not abandon my family to Morrible's whim, so I consented to spy on you. So, maybe I'm not as evil as you would like to believe."

Tears sprung to her eyes, and she bowed her head in shame. "I would like to go to sleep now."

Avaric shook his head. "You need to finish eating."

"Goddamnit, Avaric, just leave me alone!" Her fingers curled around the heavy porcelain plate. "I haven't asked for your friendship, and I don't want it."

He sighed and left the room. She put her plate aside and curled up into a ball as she forced the tears from her eyes.

* * *

Glinda hurried down the hallway to Elphaba's room, wincing at the loud screams echoing against the stone. Servants were milling around outside the door, confused looks on their faces, and Glinda caught sight of Avaric running down the staircase at the end of the hall. Pushing her way through the servants, she burst into the room and swept over to Elphaba's bed, her trembling hands shaking the green woman awake.

"Elphie, wake up! It's just a dream."

Elphaba started awake, her hazel eyes wide with fear, and once she saw Glinda, she buried her face into her friend's soft nightgown.

"I'm so sorry," Elphaba sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

Glinda didn't speak, only rocking Elphaba back and forth and murmuring soothing words into her ear; Avaric watched them for a moment, but Glinda shook her head at him as he started to approach the bed. She narrowed her eyes as a mixture of guilt and worry passed over his face, but she turned her attention back to Elphaba as he slipped out of the room.

* * *

Avaric knocked softly on Elphaba's door, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he thought about the tenuous relationship he had with her; it had been two months since she had spoken to him except for moments of pure necessity. He hadn't expected to miss her insults and general grumpy behavior whenever he occupied the same room as her as much as he did. Now, she only acknowledged him with cool control.

"Come in."

He entered the room and stopped just a few steps from the doorway. "Madame Morrible sent me to fetch you for the evening meal."

She didn't turn from where she was staring out the window, a letter clutched in hand. "My father is dead."

"I don't understand."

She glanced over her shoulder at him as she said again, her voice barely above a whisper, "My father is dead. I just received this letter from Nessa. He was found in his bed yesterday morning. They say the cause of death is unknown. He was murdered."

Avaric walked forward timidly, expecting at any moment that she might fling some horrible spell at him or any object that her hands landed on. He managed to make it to her side without incident, and he placed a gentle hand on her arm.

"I'm sorry," he told her, fumbling over the inadequacy of his words. "Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head, her eyes shimmering with tears; she glanced down at the letter that had crumpled in her iron grip, and she moaned, her tears pouring down her cheeks. He gathered her into his arms, shaken to the core as she clung to him, her body shaking with the strength of her sobs. He had never seen her cry, and he realized for the first time that her strength was mostly a show she maintained for his and Morrible's benefit. He stroked her midnight hair and pressed a soft kiss to her temple, resolving to do everything within his power to make sure she never wept again.

* * *

As Elphaba looked through the pages of spells Morrible had instructed her to learn, she looked out the window to the shimmering green city beyond the palace walls. Avaric had disappeared two days ago, and no one knew where he had gone; she decided that he was up to some mischief and dismissed her thoughts of him as she turned her attention back to her work. Her eyes widened as she read through one spell, her stomach roiling as she realized the intention of these spells were to torture and to kill.

"Elphaba, may I speak with you?"

She jumped at the sound of Avaric's voice, and she whirled around in her chair. "Where have you been?"

He smiled sheepishly. "That's kind of why I want to talk to you."

"Then, talk."

Walking further into the room, he stood near her chair, his eyes gentle. "I've joined the Resistance. During the past months, I've watched you, and I came to realize that I care very deeply for you. And, I also came to care about the Animals because they are the ones you are the most passionate about."

She rose from her seat and put a small amount of distance between them. "I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. Why would you join the Resistance? Is this some new ploy of Morrible's to get me to trust you?"

"No, damn it, this was my decision." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, this isn't exactly how I imagined it would go. The things that are important to you are important for me because I'm in love with you."

Her face softened, and a slight smile played with her lips. "Are you telling me the truth?"

"I know it seems impossible, but I am in love with you." He grinned shyly and reached out for her hand.

She allowed him to wrap his hand around her slender fingers, but she shook her head. "I'm not in love with you, Avaric. I'm sorry."

He laughed at that moment, startling her; in her surprise, she didn't fight him when he wrapped his arms around her waist and brushed his lips against her forehead.

"All that matters to me is that you let me have a fighting chance to win your heart," he murmured into her ear. "Let me give you love."

She bit her lip and gazed up at him, searching for some sign that he was lying to her; her heart sank when she found none, but it swelled at the same time with the sensation of being offered unconditional love from a man. She knew she didn't love him, but she wondered if it could be possible that she might one day love him in return.

Hesitantly, she placed one hand on his shoulder and allowed the other to rest at the nape of his neck. "Kiss me."

He obliged her and bent his head down to kiss her softly; she closed her eyes as he lingered there, taking in all the new sensations and feelings. She responded to the kiss with another, her mouth moving on instinct. After a few minutes of innocent exploration, he pulled away and took in her flushed face and parted lips as her eyes fluttered open.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Laughter bubbled from his lips at her question, and sweeping her into his arms, he spun around before nuzzling his nose against her cheek.

"I love you," he whispered. "Now and forever."


	15. Portrait of a Girl

**I know it's been a long time since I've updated this. An entire semester, to be exact. And, I'm really sorry about that. I took on 19 hours of classes, and I found out that the junior year for Accounting majors is the hardest year. I literally studied all the time, in addition to all the activities I participated in. So, now that it's Christmas break, I'm going to try to make up for my absence. If you're reading any of my other stories, be on the look out for updates for them as well. I'm also considering starting a new story, but it'll be a Leverage fanfic. Check out the show. It's on TNT, and it's amazing. It's my new addiction. Anyway, here's this update. I hope you all enjoy it. **

_Watching one color end and one begin / Brush away what's stray / There's disguise in her eyes / Add shadows that dance across her skin / Hide the doubt that cries out within her_**- "Portrait of a Girl" from Bare**

As Avaric allowed her to settle back onto the ground, Elphaba's head snapped up. "Avaric, if you joined the Resistance, why aren't you harmed like Fiyero?"

"I was kind of hoping to avoid the issue, but I guess I can show you," he said as he reached up to the collar of his shirt to pull it open.

Elphaba gasped as the white linen separated, revealing cuts, burns, and bruises all over his muscled chest; she reached out a tentative hand to inspect the wounds, and he hissed at the contact but allowed her to explore their severity.

"What exactly is going on here?"

Taking a few hurried steps back, Elphaba blushed as she looked to her doorway to see Fiyero and Glinda standing there with incredulous expressions.

"It's not what it looks like," Elphaba sputtered. "Avaric has joined the Resistance, and…."

"A likely story," Fiyero snarled as he walked over to the couple, jerking Avaric's shoulder around.

"Sweet Oz." Glinda's eyes widened with horror at the sight of Avaric's skin. "Elphie, we have to help him."

Elphaba pushed Fiyero out of the way and steered Avaric to her bed. "I'm going to use a healing spell on you. It will be painful, but when it's done, there will be no scars, just the memory of what happened."

"The last time you used that spell, you passed out," Avaric pointed out as he took a seat on her unmade bed. "Not that I would mind if you fell on me. It's kind of been a fantasy of mine."

"The least you can do is to give her some respect since she's willing to help," Fiyero threatened, prodding Avaric's chest for good measure. "She doesn't need to hear about your fantasies."

"It's all right, Fiyero."

The prince shook his head. "No, you shouldn't let him talk to you like that. Just because he's Morrible's little pet, that doesn't mean you have to put up with his sexual harassment. You deserve better than that. You deserve better than him."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "I don't appreciate your constant attacks on Avaric's behavior. He is no longer Morrible's lapdog because he did this for me. I will not tolerate any unwarranted abuse against my…significant other."

"What?" Glinda bounced a little as she grinned. "Are the two of you…. Oh, Oz, Elphie, this is wonderful!"

"Wonderful?" Fiyero repeated. He turned to Elphaba. "You can't be serious. The two of you are together?"

"Yeah, so leave us alone," Avaric said firmly. "Now, I hate to ruin a perfectly interesting conversation, but Elphaba, do you think you can do that spell? These wounds aren't all superficial."

"Of course." Elphaba sighed and turned to look at her two friends. "Can I trust both of you to not cause any trouble while I'm working?"

"He'll behave," Glinda reassured her, stroking Fiyero's hair.

Elphaba nodded her head and closed her eyes as she started to recite the spell, feeling the power spiraling through the words; locking her gaze with Avaric's, she unleashed the magic, and when he cried out, she fought to keep her feet still and continue on with the spell. She watched as his skin knit itself back together and smoothed over, and he gave her a small smile as he fell back onto her bed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. A few moments later, Elphaba lapsed into silence, her chest heaving from the exertion of the spell.

"Will you inform Morrible that Avaric is sick and will be unable to join her for supper? I will also be absent because I'm taking care of him," Elphaba requested.

Glinda nodded. "Of course. Come on, Fiyero, let's go."

"Okay, just give me a minute?" Glinda hesitated, but left Fiyero behind as she exited the room.

"Do you need something, Fiyero?"

"I just want to apologize," he replied as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You're right. This is your life, and it's your right to choose who you want to be with. I just worry about you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

She smiled. "I can take care of myself. But, thank you. I know my relationship with Avaric is not going to be easy for you to accept."

Shaking his head, he grinned back at her. "I do have to say that I wish he was someone else. Someone who's worthy of you."

He kissed her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face into his shoulder, inhaling the scent of his body, faint traces of cologne and spice pulling a small sigh from her lips. He chucked her under the chin and walked out of the room.

"I wish it was you," she whispered. "If only it could ever be you."

* * *

Avaric opened his eyes and blinked at the soft, flickering candlelight, a tickling sensation on his bare chest drawing his attention; he directed his gaze down his body and grinned at the sight of a slender green hand twisting lazily in his chest hair. He followed the line of vision to see Elphaba laying beside him, curled against his body, her usual long black dress gone in favor of a midnight blue one that skimmed her knees.

"You're awake," she said, sitting up.

He grumbled in complaint and pulled on her arm. "I liked you right there."

She settled back next to him as she bit her lip; he guided her hand back to where it had been moments before and smiled.

"That's better." His stomach growled and he grimaced. "I guess I have to go find some food now."

She shook her head and rolled to the side to pick up a tray from her bedside table. "I snuck some food out of the kitchen a little while ago because I thought you might be hungry when you woke up. Putting your body under that much stress tends to cause a large appetite."

"I don't really understand why a healing spell hurts so much."

"I'm not sure about all the details, but from what I understand, the spell is similar to performing surgery or stitching up your wounds. The ones that are deep and dangerous are the ones that cause so much pain."

"Are you sure that it's not dangerous for you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in concern.

She shrugged. "It's really not. The more power a spell releases, the more control I have to exert, but the spell doesn't drain my physical strength."

He fished around the plate she held out to him to grab a small sandwich. "Good. I don't want you risking your health or anything on my behalf or anyone else's. By the way, I really like what you're wearing."

Blushing, she tugged at her skinny straps and scooted a little away from him. "You need to eat something."

"Hey, I didn't mean to freak you out," he told her quietly. He reached out a hand and ran it down her arm as he leaned into her. "I know this is new for you, but I wanted to tell you that I think you are incredibly beautiful."

He kissed her before she could respond, his hands moving to cup her face as he laid back, pulling her lithe body halfway on top of him. Her lips explored his with an innocence that contrasted with her worldly personality, and the intoxication of her soft lips made him moan against her mouth; she opened her mouth as she started to pull back, but he seized the moment by tracing his tongue along her bottom lip and slipping into her mouth. She froze at the sensation, her eyes opening to meet his brown orbs, and she relaxed, allowing her tongue to meet his as he ran a hand through her long hair.

Panting, he broke apart from her lips and whispered, "Oz, I love you."

She smiled, and he caught the faintest glimpse of sadness in the hazel depths of her eyes as she leaned back into him.

* * *

Nessa clutched tightly to the letter in her hand while she interlocked her free fingers with Boq's. He stooped a little to press a kiss to her cheek, and she gave him a faint smile.

"She's not coming at all, is she?"

Nessa shook her head. "She said that she's not allowed to leave the city. It must be serious for her to not come. She loved him dearly even though they didn't always have a happy relationship."

"Are you all right?" Boq asked as she leaned her head back to look up at him.

"None of this feels real. I keep expecting to wake up and have this all be a horrible nightmare. And, there's so much that has to be done, and everyone expects me to just know what to do as the new governor. I feel so lost, Boq," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

He knelt beside her chair and cupped her cheek with his hand. "I will always be here, Nessa, no matter what happens. Let me help you."

"I love you, Boq. You do know that?"

"Of course I do. I love you, too."

* * *

Elphaba pushed Nessa's letter to the side and leaned back in her chair. She groaned, pushing back the tendrils of hair that had escaped from their binding. Rain beat against the window, a comforting rhythm. It was one of the few nights she had been alone in the past year. Fiyero and Glinda were visiting Nessa in Munchkinland; Elphaba was still furious with Morrible for keeping her in the Emerald City. Avaric had gone home to see his mother; the woman had fallen ill again, and Elphaba had forced him to go. She didn't need him to be with her all the time. She missed him, though. There was no one in the palace for her to talk to. Everyone was terrified of her, except for Morrible and Oscar. And, she had no interest in associating with those two beyond what was absolutely necessary. Footsteps echoed against the stone floor, and Elphaba allowed her chair to fall forward as she looked over her shoulder.

"Oscar. I should warn you that your presence is not welcome," Elphaba said, arching a dark eyebrow.

Oscar chuckled. "I've never known a time when you've wanted to be around me, Elphaba. I have something I want to discuss with you."

"I don't think I am in the mood to talk with you." She stood. "I think I will return to my bedroom."

She swept past him and strode to the door. Her hand on the knob, she started to leave, but his next statement pulled her back.

"I want to talk about the Animals. I'm not sure I agree with Morrible anymore."

Elphaba turned around, a hand on her hip. "Are you lying to me?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm quite serious. I've done some research on Oz's past and the reigns of the Ozmas. What Morrible tells me and what is recorded in history don't add up. I thought you would be the person I could trust to tell me the truth."

"How do you know I will tell you the truth? I have my own agenda to protect."

"Because you won't gain anything by lying. You might not even gain anything by telling the truth."

"Then why should I talk to you?"

"Because this is your chance to convince me that what I'm doing is wrong."

Elphaba chewed on her bottom lip and considered the Oscar's request. She wanted so badly to walk away and go to bed, but she also wanted to trust him. If he wasn't lying to her, then she could put a stop to everything Morrible was trying to do.

Elphaba walked back to the table and pulled out a chair. "Sit. We'll talk."

Three hours later, Oscar stared into the fire Elphaba had created halfway through their conversation. The rain had grown into a raging storm, and the howling wind beat against the windows; Elphaba was watching Oscar, the flames dancing across her face. Oscar looked up to see her studying him, and his breath caught. For a moment, he could have sworn it was Melena sitting beside him, not Elphaba.

"Do you see now why what you're doing to the Animals is wrong?" Elphaba asked.

"I see your point, but I don't know what I can do to change anything. Because of the laws Morrible and I have created together, the people of Oz have developed a genuine hatred of the Animals." Oscar folded his hands together and sighed.

"You can change their minds. They see you as the great and wonderful Wizard. No, it won't be easy. But, the outcome is better than what you are doing now. Morrible is lying to you about the Resistance. It is growing in strength, and the people involved have friends in very high places."

"Are you counted as one of those friends in high places?"

She snorted at his suggestion. "They hate me. And, don't expect me to give you any names. I don't trust that you're being completely honest with me."

Shrugging, Oscar leaned back into his chair. "Well, you've done everything I've asked, Elphaba. I'll have to think about what we've discussed. If I do change sides, I'll have to deal with Morrible. And, I'm not quite sure how I will handle her."

"You're supposed to be the ruler of Oz, not her."

"A nice thought, but it's not very realistic. She helped me get into power, and she'll be more than happy to remove me."

Oscar lapsed into silence, and Elphaba reached across the table to pull Nessa's letter to her, folding it up. He sometimes forgot that she was the eldest daughter of Frex; actually, he sometimes forgot that Frex was even her father. She looked nothing like him. In fact, Oscar felt that Elphaba was a carbon copy of her mother, excepting the green skin. The likeness was remarkable, from her hazel eyes to her strong cheekbones.

"Elphaba, when is your birthday?" The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She raised an eyebrow at the question, but answered. "June 12th."

"And how old are you?"

"Twenty-one. Why do you want to know?"

He did the math in his head, ignoring her. It had been almost twenty-two years since those two nights he spent with Melena. It had been late August, and rain had poured down so thick that Melena refused to let him leave the house. Of course, that could have also been the influence of the Green Elixir he gave her to drink. He shook his head; but, it wasn't possible. It couldn't be.

"Oscar? What's going on?" Elphaba rose from her chair, a little concerned. He looked like he was about to have a mental breakdown.

When she put a gentle hand on his shoulder, he started. "Oh, I'm fine. Perfectly fine. Goodnight, Elphaba."

He tore out of the room, his eyes frantic. Elphaba looked after him and wondered if she should make sure he would be all right. He had looked unstable, and she wasn't sure that it would be a good idea to leave him alone with the possibility of him receiving a visit from Morrible. She turned to the fireplace and extinguished the flames with a wave of her hand before leaving for her bedroom. He would be fine. Elphaba didn't know what was wrong, and if she was honest with herself, she really didn't care.


	16. Toxic

"_With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride / You're toxic, I'm slipping under / With a taste of a poison paradise / I'm addicted to you / Don't you know that you're toxic?"_** – "Toxic" by Britney Spears**

Elphaba leaned over her spellbook and wrote down a few notes on piece of paper. Glinda looked over from her side of the table, pausing in the middle of scribbling out a missive for her parents.

"Did you find something useful?" Glinda asked as she put down her pen and stretched.

Elphaba nodded. "I have to change a lot, but I think this could be the starting point. Come have a look."

Glinda stood and walked around the table. She picked up the paper and held it next to the spell for comparison.

"I see what you mean. This is the key you've been looking for."

"So, you think this could work?"

"With a lot of work. You're talking about building a spell from the ground up. We've never done anything like this before."

"But, at least it's not impossible. I was starting to think it was."

"Let me know if you need any help with research. I have to take my speech to Morrible and then finish my letter." Glinda handed the paper back to Elphaba. "Be careful, Elphie. You don't want Morrible to know about this."

"Wouldn't want to give her any ideas," Elphaba said with a wry laugh.

"You don't want her to think you're up to something. It's best if we keep our heads down for awhile," Glinda responded in a soft voice. "Fiyero told me he's being followed. She suspects that he's helping the Resistance."

"Then, he needs to severe his connections with it for the time being." Elphaba sighed. "We can't lose now. Not when we're actually close to accomplishing something."

"How long did you think you could pretend you didn't know Fiyero is in danger?"

"I'm sorry?" Elphaba sputtered.

Glinda arched an eyebrow. "You heard me, Elphaba. I had to find out from Avaric how close Fiyero is to being thrown into prison. You knew, and you didn't do anything."

"What Fiyero chooses to do is out of my hands," Elphaba replied. "If he wants to risk his life for the Resistance, then that's his right. I'm not going to stop him."

"You encouraged him!" Glinda shrieked. "Avaric told me everything because he said he had talked to you, and you dismissed him. You might not see anything wrong with risking their lives while you sit in safety, but I'm not going to stand for it."

"He knew when he joined the Resistance that there are going to be risks." Elphaba shook her head. "This is his decision. Not yours, and not mine. We have to think about what's best for Oz. This isn't about us."

"Really? Because all I see is you constantly putting all of us in danger because you screwed up. Face it, Elphaba. We're here because of you."

"This argument again? You know what, Glinda? If you don't want to be here, then leave."

"I'm not sacrificing my parents and Fiyero so I can run away."

"Then stop yelling at me about it! Yeah, our lives are fucked up. But, you're not the only one with a lot at stake. I'm more than aware of how bad things are out there, and how badly Morrible wants to undermine us. Why can't you trust me?"

"Because you're self-destructing," Glinda murmured. "And you're too blind to see it."

Elphaba started to respond, but Glinda turned on her heel and swept out of the room. She ran into Fiyero as she closed the door behind her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders to keep Glinda from running off.

Glinda shook her head. "Elphaba. She's pushing too much, and I'm scared, Fiyero. I feel like we're all a house of cards that could collapse any second."

"You worry too much, love."

"Really? You're risking everything to be a minor player in the Resistance. The fact that you're the heir to the Vinkan throne isn't going to be enough to always save you, and you know it."

"We all have to do our part, and this is mine. I'm needed in the Resistance."

"I need you here. Besides, what good are you to anyone if you're dead?"

Fiyero sighed and cupped Glinda's face with his hands. "Trust me. There's something big coming, and I need to be on the inside to keep you and Elphaba safe. There are a lot of people out there who want your blood, and I can't let that happen. I'm doing the best I can."

"Just…. Please, be careful. Morrible wants so badly to make an example out of you."

"I'll talk to Elphaba and see what we can figure out. I'll see you tonight." He kissed her.

Glinda forced a smile onto her face. "Okay."

Fiyero watched Glinda walk down the hallway before slipping into their shared study room. Elphaba was pacing the floor, her arms wrapped tightly across her chest. He closed the door and leaned against it.

"You know, I spend so much time keeping the peace between you and Glinda that I'm starting to find it hard to get other things done." He grinned at her when she tilted her head in his direction. "Good thing all that stuff isn't very important."

Elphaba let out a small laugh. "I'm sorry, Fiyero. We have been fighting a lot."

"Any reason for that?"

"She's afraid. Hell, I'm afraid."

"Why?"

"Because I'm putting you and Avaric in the line of fire, and Glinda thinks I don't think anything of it. She doesn't know that I don't sleep at night because I'm so worried this could blow up in our faces. And, I'm frustrated that I can't do more; it's not fair to ask so much of you."

"And, Avaric," he replied.

"Of course," she whispered. "Do you think I'm a horrible person, Fiyero?"

"Never. Sure, you have to do a lot of bad things, but that doesn't mean you want to. That should make a difference."

"That doesn't really make me feel any better."

"How about this?" Fiyero walked over to her and picked her up to perch her on the table. "I know you. All you want is what's best for Oz, for its people. You're giving everything you have for all of them, and I know it's killing you. And, that's what I admire about you, Elphaba. You give so much, and you don't expect anything from anyone else."

"But, I do," she said, her voice soft. Her hands dropped to clench the side of the table. "I want them to change."

"Isn't that what's best for Oz?"

"But, what right do I have to make them fall in line with what I believe?"

He pried one of her hands loose from the table and threaded his fingers through hers. "Do you seriously think that what you believe in is wrong?"

"No. But, I'm not sure my methods are right. And, in the end, that means I'm not much better than Morrible and Oscar." Elphaba bowed her head. "Glinda's right, Fiyero. You can't keep taking this many risks. You need to stay close to the palace."

"You know that the leaders of the Resistance are very close to deciding to kill you."

"I can take that risk. It's one I need to take. I can't lose you now, Fiyero. I need you here."

"Funny," he murmured. "Glinda said the exact same thing."

"It's true." Elphaba pulled her hand from his grasp and stood up, her body brushing against his chest. "I'm fine. I need to finish up some more work, and then I think I'm going to find Avaric. I'll see you again tomorrow."

"You're not coming to supper?" he asked as he started for the door.

"I'm not really hungry." At his worried gaze, Elphaba shook her head. "I promise, I'm all right, and I'm taking care of myself. Don't worry so much. I think Glinda said that too much worrying gives you premature wrinkles."

"I don't think any of us are worried about having wrinkles. It's a lot more likely that we'll die before then."

She winced at his parting statement; she turned back to the table and picked up her notes. A smile flitted across her face.

* * *

Avaric let himself into Elphaba's room. He cursed when he hit his foot against the doorjamb, and he stumbled in the darkness.

"Elphaba, are you in here?"

He heard the rasp of a match struck against a table, and he grinned at the faint glow that revealed Elphaba bending over a single candle. She blew the match out and held her hand out to Avaric.

"Come here."

He obeyed and stopped in front of her, his eyes taking in her choice of clothing. She had a sheer robe draped over her shoulders, and her body was swathed in a gauzy silver dress that barely concealed her form. He took a shuddering breath and reached out to touch her shoulder.

"You don't have to do this," he said quietly, his grasp on her shoulder a little stronger than he had intended.

She blinked and cocked her head. "I don't understand. I thought you want me. Isn't this what you want?"

"I don't want for you to give yourself to me because you feel obligated. I'm perfectly content with the way things are," he replied.

"I'm not." She brushed the back of her hand against his cheek. "I want to give myself to you, Avaric. Now, do you want me?"

"You know I do. But, I can't do this to you. You don't feel the same way about me."

"Has it never occurred to you that I might want to have sex with you? I know you desire me; why shouldn't I give you what you want? Why can't it be what I want, too?"

He shook his head. "Why would you want me?"

Her tongue flicked across her lips, and she smiled. "Because you're mine."

He groaned and pulled her against him into a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched her back; his hands clutched at her robe and flung it to the ground, fisting his fingers in the silver material of her dress. He trailed his lips along her jaw to her neck, and she let out a gasp. Sweeping her into his arms, he walked to the bed and laid her down. He paused, hovering over her, and she pulled on his shirt until he kissed her as one of her legs wrapped around his hips.

* * *

Glinda curled up into Fiyero's side. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah. I'll be all right, Glinda. I promise." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I won't be part of any of the action. I have a very small part."

"A part that could get you killed."

"Yeah, it could," he agreed. "But, that's the risk we've all taken. The odds are in our favor this time."

"For once." She closed her eyes and gripped his side a little tighter. "My worst nightmare is that I'll lose you, Fiyero."

"I'm not going anywhere."


	17. After the Thrill Is Gone

"_Same dances in the same old shoes/ You get too careful with the steps you choose/ You don't care about winning, but you don't want to lose/ After the thrill is gone."_- **"After the Thrill Is Gone" by The Eagles**

Elphaba pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, shivering against the cold. The soldiers in the Gale Force stamped their feet in both impatience and an attempt to stay warm. They were paused outside the gates to the ghetto of the Emerald City, established for the sake of containing the dwindling Animal population. She knew she was taking too long to move into action, but every fiber of her body was rebelling against her orders. Still, this was better than the alternative.

She turned to address the Gale Force. "You all have been given your orders. Kill fifty, take one hundred as prisoners. Keep looting and property destruction to a minimum. Do not wait for me to return with you to the palace. Once you have completed your job, you are to return immediately. My task may take a little longer."

They nodded in acknowledgement of her instructions, and she swept back around to face the ghetto again. She waited as they rushed past her, guns at the ready to take care of any troublemakers. She took a steadying breath. Morrible had given her very specific orders, and it was thanks to Fiyero's hard work within the Resistance that Elphaba was being sent after the wrong family of Animals. She allowed a twisted smile to play with her lips; it was a horrifying world where she would accept murder as an acceptable deed to keep an increasingly unsteady rebellion against the government from collapsing. She was surprised they still relied on this one Animal. Even Fiyero had no idea who inside was so necessary to the Resistance. He had only reassured her before she left that she shouldn't worry.

She squared her shoulders and stepped into the ghetto. She only had to dispose of a small family of Goats. Five lives that she had to take with her own hands, using the magical abilities she had long ago realized were more of a curse than any sort of blessing. Five innocent lives that were being sacrificed for reasons that couldn't be explained to her. She couldn't quite shake the feeling that she had turned into nothing more than a glorified executioner.

* * *

Fiyero picked at his plate of food as he looked around the table. Elphaba and Glinda were seated opposite him, and neither of the young women had touched their plates, preferring to carry on a whispered conversation. The Wizard watched Elphaba intently from the head of the table, and Morrible's eyes kept flickering in between the Wizard and Elphaba, an expression of increasing irritation spreading across her face. Avaric had opted to simply shovel food into his mouth and keep his head down. Sighing, Fiyero picked his fork up and poked at a piece of broccoli.

"Elphaba, you haven't touched any of your meat," Morrible said, attempting at a benign smile. "The cook will be insulted if you send back your plate without touching it."

"I never eat meat," Elphaba responded. "I'm sure the cook will understand."

Morrible shook her head with disapproval. "Tonight is a special celebration of the beginning of true reform. The cook prepared this dish especially for you."

"Then he shall have to be insulted because I refuse to touch meat of any kind."

"Well, I suppose that if I ask Fiyero to account for his activities of the past couple of days, you won't be surprised that he ends up in prison?" Morrible shot back. "You are under my authority…"

"My authority, actually," Oscar interrupted. When Morrible glared at him, he shrugged. "I think I'm still the ruler of Oz. Of course, I don't see the harm of humoring the cook, Elphaba. Just one bite?"

Elphaba nodded to Glinda, and the two girls cut off a small sliver of meat. Fiyero followed their example and lifted a bite to his own mouth. As Elphaba closed her lips around the offending food and swallowed it down, Morrible smiled.

"Good, isn't it? Nothing like roasted Goat to make an excellent meal."

Elphaba's eyes widened, and Glinda let out a small shriek. Fiyero dropped his fork, his face paling as he looked first at Avaric then Oscar and noticed that their faces were twisted into identical expressions of horror.

"No," Elphaba choked out, forcing her chair back and standing shakily to her feet. "You wouldn't?"

Morrible took a large bite of the meat. "What? We have to do something with the dead. It's not like they deserve a burial."

Elphaba sputtered and attempted to form a reply, but she blanched and put a hand to her mouth. Turning around, she fled the dining hall, Glinda following suit. Oscar dropped his napkin to the floor and disappeared out a side door. Fiyero swallowed back the bile in his throat and took off out the same door as the girls before him, vaguely aware of Avaric following behind.

* * *

Fiyero let himself into Glinda's rooms after emptying his stomach. He could hear her sobs in the bathroom, and he headed in that direction, leaning against the doorway as she bent over her toilet.

"How are you doing?" he asked in a quiet voice.

She looked up at him with tear-stained cheeks and shook her head. "I feel so sick. I can't believe that she would do something like that."

"Do you want me to stay with you?" he offered with a small smile.

"No, I think I'm all right for the moment. I'm going to lay down. Elphaba needs to be checked on, though. Do you think….?"

"Of course. I'll be back in a little bit."

He bent over and helped her off the floor, kissing her forehead before leaving. It didn't take long to reach Elphaba's rooms, and he let himself in without announcement, figuring she wouldn't be able to answer his knock. He looked around, a little surprised that Avaric wasn't present. He shrugged and continued on to her bathroom, wincing at the sound of Elphaba violently retching.

"Hey," he said, hovering in the doorway of her bathroom.

Elphaba settled back onto her heels and buried her head into her hands. "Fiyero, I…. I just can't…. Oz, I don't know what to do."

She moaned and hunched back over the toilet, her chest heaving as she dry heaved. He crouched down behind her and rubbed her back, pressing a kiss into her hair.

"It's okay, I'm right here," he murmured.

She leaned back into him as her retching subsided, silent sobs shaking her shoulders. "How's Glinda?"

He grimaced. "She's shaken up about the whole thing. She said she was going to lay down. She sent me to check on you."

"Are you going to leave, then?" she asked in a small voice.

He offered her his hand and waited for her to link her fingers with his before saying, "I can stay for a little while."

"Okay." She stared ahead, her eyes blank as she rested her head against his chest. "Because I need someone here. I need…I need you."

He closed his eyes and pulled her a little tighter against his body. "I'm not going to leave you, Elphaba. Not until you ask me to."

* * *

Elphaba fiddled with the letter she had just received from Nessa. Glinda was running late, again, and she could hardly wait to share the good news with Glinda. She would hopefully be as happy as Elphaba. As Glinda walked into the room, Elphaba jumped up from her chair, waving the letter through the air.

"Nessa is engaged!" Elphaba announced with a huge smile.

Glinda stopped, her face lighting up as she processed the news. "Really? That's wonderful! Did she say when the wedding is going to be? Is there to be an engagement party?"

"The party is in a week and a half. It's short notice, but Nessa is a little impatient. She mentioned in her letter that things have been unstable in Munchkinland, and she's hoping that maybe her engagement will help reassure her people." Elphaba frowned as she looked back at the letter. "You do think that Morrible will let us go?"

"Fuck what she thinks," Glinda replied. "I'm not missing what is going to probably be the biggest event of the year. We'll have to get new dresses."

"One thing at a time," Elphaba laughed. "Why don't you go talk to Fiyero, and I'll handle Morrible? I think the Wizard will want representatives there."

"What is going on with him?" Glinda asked as Elphaba started to leave the room. "He's been acting strangely. Is he going to turn to our side?"

Elphaba shrugged. "I really don't know. He's talked to me some, but he hasn't given any indication that he believes what he's doing is wrong."

"You will let me know if anything changes?"

"Of course." Elphaba smiled and slipped out the door.

* * *

Nessa gave Boq a nervous smile as she readjusted her engagement ring. It was a small cluster of diamonds surrounded by rubies, and she was certain that nothing could be more perfect. The party was waiting for them. Elphaba had arrived the night before with Glinda, Fiyero, and Avaric in tow, and they were gathered with the guests in anticipation of her triumphant entry with Boq.

Boq placed a hand on her shoulder and bent over to kiss her forehead. "Are you ready?"

She nodded her head. "Yes." She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him. "Are you happy with me, Boq?"

"Of course," he said quietly, a smile on his face. "I've never been happier."

She clasped his hand to her chest and gave it a small squeeze before letting him go so he could push her chair into the mansion's great hall. The guests applauded their entrance, and Nessa gave a huge smile as Elphaba swept forward to kiss her cheek.

"You look spectacular," Elphaba murmured as she leaned over Nessa.

Nessa smoothed down a crease in her red dress as she cocked her head to one side. "So do you."

Elphaba smiled. "I have a present for you."

Nessa's eyes lit up. "Oh, Elphaba, you shouldn't have. Where is it?"

"Patience." Elphaba straightened her back and nodded in Boq's direction. "I think the two of you should dance."

"You'll give me the present later tonight?"

"After the party," Elphaba promised.

She watched as Nessa wheeled her way over to rescue Boq from two overeager diplomats who had cornered him. She clutched at the fabric of her midnight blue dress, the cool silk slipping against her fingers. A hand caught at her shoulder, startling her.

"What, oh, Fiyero," she said, her eyes wide. "Don't sneak up on me."

He grinned. "Dance with me?"

"What about Glinda?"

"She's busy charming a couple of gentlemen in the corner. Something about getting them an audience with the Wizard."

Elphaba arched an eyebrow. "She does know she can't promise favors?"

"She knows that," he replied. "Now, about that dance…"

"Only if you insist."

"And, I do."

He slid his hand under hers and led her to the dance floor, his free fingers curling around her hip. She allowed him to pull her close, their hands interlocking. He kissed her forehead and swayed to the slow beat of the music, guiding her through the steps. She moved with him with familiarity, leaning in a little too far to pretend that her feelings for him were of pure friendship. She could feel the warmth of his skin radiating through his shirt; it was enough to bring a flush to her cheeks.

Glinda watched from across the dance floor; she barely took notice of Avaric when he joined her.

"He's in love with her," Glinda whispered, tears springing to her eyes. "Does she love him?"

Avaric bowed his head. "Yes. I never really had a chance."

Glinda let out a bitter laugh. "I'm starting to think I didn't either."

"What are you going to do?"

Glinda shook her head, pressing her lips together into a thin line. "I don't know. I love him."

"And, I love her."

Glinda reached her hand out and waited until Avaric took it, his fingers curling around hers as she fought back her tears. Fiyero and Elphaba danced on, oblivious.


	18. Almost Lover

"_Goodbye my almost lover/ Goodbye, my hopeless dream/ I'm trying not to think about you/ Why can't you just let me be?/ Goodbye, my luckless romance/ My back is turned on you/ Should've known you'd bring me heartache/ Almost lovers always do."_- **"Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy**

Nessa waited in her drawing room for Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero to arrive. She never really counted Avaric as one of the group, but she supposed that he would probably tag along because he was in some kind of relationship with Elphaba now. Nessa had played the part of a good sister and kept her mouth shut about _that_ piece of news when it came her way because as long as Elphaba was happy, Nessa was happy for her. Boq paced the length of the room, a letter clutched in his hand. The Wizard had sent a missive with Elphaba, and Boq had spent the entire night stressing over it.

"The words aren't going to change just because you're staring at them, darling," Nessa said in gentle tones.

He looked up and gave her a sheepish smile. "I know. But, there's something here, something that's off. I just don't know what it is."

"Have Elphaba read through it when she gets here. I'm sure she'll know what's going on."

"Because she's been so forthcoming with information."

"Is something bothering you, Boq?"

"I'm worried about you. And about Munchkinland. There's something going on, something big, and we don't know what it is, not really. It makes me uncomfortable."

"I thought I was the governor?"

"And I'm just your lovely assistant?"

"If you want to be. I was thinking you're better suited to the part of handsome paramour, but I'm not going to argue with you if you want something else."

He crossed the room and kissed her, his lips lingering against hers. "Oz, I love you, Nessa. You know that?"

The color rose in her cheeks as she smiled. "Yes, I do."

The door opened, and Boq moved behind her chair; she grabbed his hand and pulled it to rest on her shoulder. Elphaba smiled at the small gesture as she walked into the room, a large box clutched in her arms. She knelt at Nessa's feet and laid the package in her sister's lap.

"I would have given this to you sooner, but I didn't want to trust it to the post. Morrible is too nosy." Elphaba rose and stepped back, wrapping an arm around Glinda's waist. Fiyero and Avaric were arranged behind them. "Glinda and I managed to do this for you together."

Nessa pushed the bow on top to the side and opened the box, her forehead wrinkling in confusion when she only saw a pair of fashionable black leather shoes. "You and Glinda are cobblers now?"

Elphaba laughed, the sound rich and full, and Nessa realized as she looked at the others that this might be the first time that Elphaba had been this happy; it made her heart swell a little with joy that she had been the one to make Elphaba's eyes light up with joy.

"Put them on, Nessa," Elphaba instructed. "You'll understand."

Nessa frowned, but Boq was already kneeling at her feet, slipping off her red heels and fitting the new shoes to her feet. She gasped at the flood of warmth that started at her feet and rushed up her legs.

"Elphaba, my feet…they…what's happening?"

Elphaba smiled. "The shoes are enchanted. Help her to stand up, Boq."

Boq was the one who looked confused then, but he followed Elphaba's instructions. He gripped Nessa firmly under her arm and pulled her forward until she swayed on her feet, the sensation in her legs making her latch onto one glorious thought.

"I can walk," Nessa breathed out. She looked at Boq, feeling like her face was going to split in half with happiness. "Boq, I can walk!"

She shifted one foot forward to test out the theory, and when her legs didn't buckle underneath her, she let out a small giggle. She held her arms out to Elphaba and waited until her older sister was in her arms to let out a louder laugh, her head falling back.

"Thank you so much," Nessa whispered as she buried her head into Elphaba's neck. "This is the best present I've ever been given."

"There's more," Elphaba said with a sly smile, motioning for Glinda to come forward.

Glinda stepped up to the two sisters and held out a new box, opening it for Nessa so the girl didn't have to let go of Elphaba. Nestled against a piece of blue silk was a pair of delicate silver shoes.

"For your wedding day," Elphaba murmured as she turned her head to press a cheek into Nessa's hair.

Nessa couldn't keep the tears from welling up in her eyes as she clung a little tighter to her sister. "Thank you. For everything."

Elphaba left sooner than she wanted. She knew Nessa was disappointed that she was only able to stay two days after the engagement party, but Oscar had sent a messenger with the news that she had to return to the Emerald City as soon as possible. The others were following along without protest. Something had happened the night of the party, and both Glinda and Avaric seemed so far away. Fiyero, for his part, seemed to sense that something was wrong, but he was doing his best to ignore it. She tried to keep her thoughts from lingering on him too long; unfortunately, she wasn't very successful.

After they arrived back at the palace, Glinda and Fiyero disappeared. Elphaba shrugged it off. She had to see Morrible anyway to report back, and Avaric tagged along behind her.

Glinda waited until Elphaba was gone to turn to look at Fiyero.

"What's going on?" he asked without preamble.

She sighed and took his hand before thinking better of that and letting it drop back to his side. "I think we should end our relationship."

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked, confused.

"No, not really," she said with a bitter laugh. "You're in love with Elphaba."

"No, I'm not."

"I know you, Fiyero. I've seen the way you look at her. The way you don't look at me anymore."

He tried to take her hand, but she stepped back.

"Glinda, I lo…"

"No, don't say it," she interrupted, unable to bear hearing those words. "I know. And, it's okay."

"How can you say that?"

"Because I love both of you enough to want you to be happy. And, I think, if I feel like I know I can get out of bed tomorrow, I might not love you as much as I wish I did. I'll never be able to love you the way she can, Fiyero. I know that. You deserve to have the best."

He reached out to cup her cheek, and she leaned into the touch, unable to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks. He kissed her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin before he pulled back.

"I've never been unhappy with you, Glinda," he murmured. "But, you're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she said with a light laugh even as she forced back a sob. "Just go get her."

He took off down the hallway without glancing back for which she was grateful when she collapsed to the ground, her shoulders shaking as she wept.

Fiyero found Elphaba in her room. She was at her window and didn't notice that he was standing in her doorway, so he took advantage of the moment to study her. The sunlight streamed over her green skin, spilling across the sharp planes of her face. Her dress was cut lower than normal, so there was the smallest hint of the swell of her breasts hidden behind a gauzy deep purple material. Her black hair fell in soft curls down her back to her waist. He had never seen a more beautiful woman.

"Elphaba," he breathed out as he stepped over the threshold.

She whirled around, a dark eyebrow raised in question. "Fiyero? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you."

"Well, I guess you found me."

He shuffled his feet and looked up at her with a shy smile. "Yeah, I did."

"Do you need something? Because I have things that need to be taken care of, so if we could move things along, that would be nice." She leaned her back against the wall, though, so he figured that whatever was so important would wait.

He crossed the room and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

Her eyes widened. "Fiyero, what are you…"

"Shh," he said softly, placing a finger against her mouth. "Just trust me."

He could feel her heart thudding against his chest, and he smiled. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers in a gentle kiss; she gasped at the contact and gripped his shoulders so tightly that she was going to leave bruises there if she didn't let go. A moment later, she shifted her mouth underneath him, molding to the shape of his lips, and he took that as encouragement. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue, pressing a little for entrance. Her lips parted, and he tilted her head back at the silky feeling of her tongue against his, tentative and slow. Then, she was gone, out of his arms.

"No, we can't do this," she said, panic written all over her face. "You have Glinda, and I have Avaric."

He watched her start to pace. "I don't have Glinda anymore."

She stopped moving, her mouth falling open. "What? What happened?"

"She told me that she couldn't be with me because I'm in love with you. Which, is right. Elphaba, I love you. More than anything." He reached out for her hand and pulled her back to him; he pillowed her head against his chest and kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

She closed her eyes and gripped his shirt in her hands. "I love you, too, Fiyero. Oz, I have for ages."

"What about Avaric?"

"He was there."

He didn't need to hear the words she didn't say; he understood. He traced his thumb down her spine, unable to keep from touching her now that he finally could. She lifted her head, and he kissed her forehead first, then her cheeks, the tip of her nose, her eyelids, and finally, her mouth. She sighed at the attention and melted into him.

"I need to talk to Avaric. I can't go behind his back."

"In a little bit. Just stay here with me?"

She didn't fight him when he pressed her against the wall and kissed her again. And, she didn't see Avaric standing in the doorway. Avaric stayed only for a moment to confirm that he wasn't hallucinating before walking away. He had known it would happen eventually. That didn't stop his heart from feeling like it was breaking in two.


	19. Keep Holding On

"_There's nothing you could say, nothing you could do/ There's no other way when it comes to the truth/ So keep holding on/ 'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through."_- **"Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne**

Avaric knew who was at the door the second he heard the knock. He cursed under his breath and crossed the room to open the door. He looked down at Elphaba.

"I thought you would be with Fiyero." He might want her to be happy, but that didn't mean he had to just lie down and take her walking away from him.

She winced at the bitterness of his tone and stepped past him into the room. "I wanted to talk to you."

"I gathered that." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, it's fine. Just…whatever. I knew you loved him. I would have to have been blind to miss that."

"You have every right to be mad at me."

"I _am_ mad. Hell, I'm pissed. But, I still love you. If he makes you happy, you deserve that. I'm not going to hold you back." He turned away from her and walked to the window. "I'm always going to be here for you, Elphaba. Nothing is going to change that."

She puffed out a small breath and walked up behind, laying a gentle hand on his back. "I never deserved you. You're a good man, Avaric."

"Tell that to your new lover."

He turned around in time to catch her small smile. "He knows. He just doesn't like having competition."

"Am I?" He couldn't keep from asking the question.

"If I'm honest, then, no." She crossed her arms across her chest and met his gaze. "I care for you, though, Avaric, and I always will."

He didn't respond to that, and she slipped out the door. He punched the wall and leaned against it

* * *

Elphaba paced along the wall of the study she shared with Glinda. Morrible let herself into the room without announcement, and Elphaba fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"What do you need?" Elphaba spat out.

Morrible fished out a parody of a sweet smile. "I have work for you to do. Tomorrow, Glinda will be giving a speech. I'm sure you recall that spell I taught you when you were still at school. The one to persuade people to do what you want. I want you to use that spell tomorrow during the speech to manipulate the crowd."

"Why?"

"They need a personal investment in this campaign against the Animals. I'm thinking that if they're angry about the fact that the Animals simply exist, then we might have less to worry about from the Resistance."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Why are you sharing your plans with me?"

"I'm not sharing all my secrets, Miss Elphaba. Glinda has the speech already written. Meet with her. I trust you can handle working out the mechanics of the spell?"

"Of course."

When Morrible left, Elphaba ground her teeth together and resumed her pacing. Glinda found her there and watched a moment before shaking her head.

"You're seriously going to go straight through the floor one day."

Elphaba looked up and smiled. "Hey. I was going to come find you."

"No need." Glinda tried to keep from sounding so airily happy, but it seemed her instincts weren't listening to her.

Elphaba hesitated. "Are we okay, Glinda? I know it's really soon after everything with Fiyero, but I don't want anything to interfere with our relationship. You're my best friend."

Glinda paused and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I was the one who sent him after you. You can't help what your heart wants. I know if you could, you would have fallen in love with Avaric a long time ago. It's just…it still hurts."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm working through that pain, and it has nothing to do with you. Now, let's get to work, shall we?"

Glinda pulled out the speech and spread it on the table in front of Elphaba. Elphaba leaned over it and studied the carefully scripted words.

"Do you think there's any way we can turn this to our favor?" Glinda asked. "Morrible is giving you a lot of power to do what you want. How does the spell work?"

"It latches onto trigger words and pulls the emotions I want towards the front." Elphaba traced a few words with the tips of her fingers. "I have to lay the groundwork by setting the first part of the spell with the trigger words. Then, tomorrow, I'll finish the spell, and they'll respond with the appropriate emotion. The thing is, I think we can get them to change their direction a little. A reminder to Morrible that she doesn't have complete control over us."

Glinda smirked. "Excellent plan."

* * *

Elphaba let out a deep breath and nodded at Glinda from where she was standing in the shadows on the balcony. A huge crowd was gathered below in the pavilion outside the palace. Gale Force guards ringed them. Glinda stood at the railing and raised her hands to stop the cheering. Her smile was bright as she parroted the words Morrible had written for her to say, and Elphaba started chanting, focusing her magic only on the people down below. She could feel the shift and change as the spell took hold. A tension gathered in the air, a waiting for the dam to break.

When Glinda finished the speech, Elphaba let out the last word, the command that would release them from her hold and unleash everything that had been building up over the past minutes. With a roar, the crowd surged forward, attacking the Gale Force. Morrible flew to the railing in horror as Glinda tried to keep a disinterested look on her face. Elphaba, for her part, simply grinned. It was nice when things went to plan.

The Gale Force regained control after five minutes. She heard the report float up from below. One dead, three injured. It wasn't the carnage that would have resulted if the crowd had been set upon the Animal ghetto like Morrible had intended, but Elphaba hadn't really wanted there to be large amount of bloodshed. This would be enough to get her point across.

Morrible crossed the balcony in a fury, seething. "You! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Glinda was at Elphaba's side, and Elphaba wrapped a loose arm around her waist as she said, "Well, Madame, I don't know what went wrong. I did the spell exactly like it was supposed to be performed, and I used all the correct trigger words. I don't understand why it didn't go to plan."

"You little bitch, you played me!"

Elphaba took a step towards Morrible, her eyes going cold. "You do _not_ control me. I was not going to make innocent people responsible for widespread murder. I did everything you wanted. Next time, maybe you should refrain from caging a crowd that you want to whip into a murderous frenzy."

With that, Elphaba walked off, Glinda following behind her. Glinda had to pick up her heavy skirts to keep up until Elphaba noticed and slowed down.

"I don't understand exactly how everything worked." Glinda watched Elphaba from the corner of her eyes. "You did everything exactly how Morrible wanted. Why did things not go as she planned?"

Elphaba smiled. "Well, Glinda, I don't know if you remember, but one of the first rules of magic is that intent is half the power. I didn't do much. Just, with the power of suggestion, redirected them a little."

Glinda let out a laugh and shook her head. "Of course. It's almost too simple. Why wouldn't she expect something like that?"

"Because Morrible forgot one of the basic principles of keeping a caged animal. Even when the animal is assumed safely locked away, it can still bite you through the bars.

* * *

In retrospect, Elphaba supposed that maybe taunting Morrible in such a dramatic fashion hadn't been the best idea. She had attempted almost immediately after the fiasco to imprison Fiyero, but luckily, he was able to use his immunity as an ambassador and the threat of a war with the Vinkus to avoid punishment. After that, the issue was dropped, but Elphaba was now painfully aware of the fact that Morrible was out for blood. Her blood, if it could be had. Therefore, she had decided to lay low, which of course, meant that Oscar would choose to seek her out to discuss the possibility of changing his policies.

"Are you serious about this?" Elphaba asked, having to work very hard to keep from rolling her eyes.

Oscar nodded his head and gave her an earnest smile. "I've been thinking a lot about everything we've talked about, and I think you're right. I want to change the wrongs I've done."

"If you're sincere, the first thing you have to do is get rid of Morrible." Elphaba held up a hand before he could say anything. "And, by that, I mean you need to have her permanently taken out of the picture."

"You mean execute her?"

"Yes. Otherwise, she still has too much power even if you throw her out of Oz. She has a lot of supporters who will gladly start a war that you are not equipped to fight."

Oscar rubbed his chin and leaned back in the chair he had taken residence in. "I suppose I could do that. Of course, I would need a replacement for her. How would you feel about that job?"

"I would love to accept, but you shouldn't get ahead of yourself." Elphaba managed to smile at him. "First, you have to get rid of her, which is going to be harder than you think. She doesn't advertise it, but she is very skilled with magic, and she won't be happy about this change."

"Of course not." He chuckled a little. "I'm very fond of you, Elphaba. I just wish I had realized all of this a lot sooner. It would have saved everyone a lot of heartache."

"Well, some things can't be changed now," Elphaba murmured, her thoughts turning to Frex. "I have to go. Glinda is expecting me, and I don't like to keep her waiting. She worries too much."

"Go, go." Oscar's smile was so warm that Elphaba wondered if there was more to his change of heart than he had let on. "I'll take care of things tomorrow. Don't worry. Soon, Oz will be the wonderful land it used to be."

Elphaba smiled at him as she started for the door. "Thank you for this, Oscar. Thank you for listening, for…believing me."

He waved his hand. "It's the right thing, my dear."

She left and hurried to Glinda's room, almost bursting with excitement at the fact that finally, _finally_, things were going to come out right.

* * *

The next morning, Elphaba was pulled from her sleep by someone nearly beating her door down. She grumbled under her breath and rolled out of her bed, opening the door to find a frantic Glinda outside with Fiyero at her side.

"What is it?" Elphaba asked, her displeasure at being woken up fading away.

Glinda's eyes were filled with tears. "Oh, Elphie, he's dead. Oscar is dead."


End file.
